From Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz to Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud picks his French Open favorites
Casper Ruud will be hoping to do one better at the 2023 French Open compared to the last edition, where he reached the final before falling to Rafael Nadal.
This year, in the 14-time winner's absence, the tournament is more open than it has been in recent years, an assessment Ruud himself agrees with. Speaking at his pre-tournament press conference, the Norwegian gave his pick for the favorites for the title in Paris, starting with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
While the fourth seed felt Djokovic and Alcaraz are the biggest favorites to reach the semfinals from the top half of the draw, he believed fomer French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas shouldn't be counted out either.
"I think obviously you have Novak and Alcaraz on the top side of the draw who are biggest names and maybe the biggest favorites to reach the semis. But I think also Tsitsipas is there. Let's not forget about him. He's been in the final here before," Casper Ruud said.
"There are many I feel like every week or every tournament these days, especially on ATP Tour, it's always like some guy who comes a little bit out of nowhere makes quarters and semis, and that's very tough to say who it is," he added.
From the bottom half of the draw, Casper Ruud liked the chances of reigning Italian Open champion and World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, as well as Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner.
Ruud put himself in the mix too, declaring that if he could play to his full potential, he could have a great chance of recreating his run from last year.
"On the bottom side of the draw, obviously Daniil is second seeded. He's been playing great this year, honestly, showing he can play well on both hard court and clay. He won Rome. Obviously Holger is a big threat. He plays very fearless. Seems like he's in a good mode and playing good lately. He's one to look out for," Casper Ruud said.
"But obviously like to think that myself, if I play well, can have a chance to go far in the tournament. And obviously also Jannik is on the bottom side also. Every time I see Jannik play it's beautiful tennis, beautiful winners, and he's dangerous on all surfaces as well. He's been in the quarters here as well and pushed Rafa quite hard I remember one year," he added.
At the end of the day, the former World No. 2 sees Djokovic and Alcaraz as the massive favorites for the French Open, regardless of the presence of dark horses like Stan Wawrinka in the tournament.
"It's open. But I think, you know, what I did now is just go through the top eight seeds so that was maybe not the most-fun answer. I would say Alcaraz is, to me, the biggest favorite because he has won a slam before last year. Then him or Novak has to be sort of the ultimate favorite because Novak has won so many times," Ruud said.
"This year's clay season has been maybe not what he expected, but I'm sure he has good confidence in myself knowing that he's won 22 slams already, and all the other players in the tournament have maybe only won one or not one, and obviously Wawrinka has won three. It's a tough question to give one clear answer, but those two to me are maybe the biggest ones," he added.
"It's a little strange, but, you know, the tournament still goes on" - Casper Ruud on Rafael Nadal's absence at the French Open
Casper Ruud then touched on Rafael Nadal's absence at the French Open, the first time since 2004 the serial winner is skipping the tournament, admitting that it was a "little sad." At the same time, the 24-year-old believed that the tournament will go on as it always has as no one could be bigger than the sport, not even the most decorated player in the competition's history.
"It's a little sad, honestly. I mean, to me, my earliest memory watching tennis is him winning his first Roland Garros. From there on, I was like six years old and I said to myself, you know, I always want to play tennis on TV one day. That's sort of where my dream to become a professional player started," Casper Ruud said.
"So I guess it's like 18 years later, it's the first time he's not here again. It's a little strange, but, you know, the tournament still goes on. No one is sort of bigger than the sport. It's gonna be exciting. I think obviously we know that there won't be a Rafa in the final this year, and I think those two spots are up for grabs for anyone. It's anyone's game," he added.
Casper Ruud will open his 2023 French Open campaign against Elias Ymer on Monday.