"This might be the single most imbalanced tournament draw in any sport ever" - Tennis fans react to French Open draw
The draw for the 2022 French Open, which took place on Thursday, has thrown open some fascinating possibilities. Thirteen-time winner Rafael Nadal, two-time champion Novak Djokovic and the highly fancied Carlos Alcaraz all find themselves in the same half of the draw.
Unsurprisingly, several fans and experts took to Twitter to provide trivia, vent their angst and point out potential clashes that could have spectators on the edge of their seats.
Tennis writer Christopher Clarey drew attention to the fact that the top quarter of the draw featured players who had all won the tournament in the last 13 years.
Top quarter of the draw at 2022 French Open includes
Djokovic
Dimitrov
Schwartzman
Auger-Aliassime
Opelka
Wawrinka
Nadal
All the men who have won the French Open in the last 13 years
Stan Wawrinka won the French Open in 2015 while all the other titles since 2010 have been won by either Nadal or Djokovic.
One fan questioned how six of the top 10 seeds ended up in the top half of the draw at Roland Garros.
"So how do you end up with 6 of the top 10 seeds on the top half of the draw @rolandgarros Men's singles? This should not be possible 1, 3, 5, 6, 9 and 10. Does 5 top half and 5 bottom half make sense to anyone? Is the PDF on their site correct? Leave it to the French Open," they vented.
So how do you end up with 6 of the top 10 seeds on the top half of the draw @rolandgarros Men's singles? This should not be possible 1, 3, 5, 6, 9 and 10. Does 5 top half and 5 bottom half make sense to anyone? Is the PDF on their site correct? Leave it to the French Open.🤡🤡
Others were more direct, calling it the "most imbalanced tournament draw in any sport ever."
"This might be the single most imbalanced tournament draw in any sport ever. The three clear favorites to win the French Open (Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz) and the player with the fifth-best odds (Alexander Zverev) are ALL on the same side of the draw," they wrote.
This might be the single most imbalanced tournament draw in any sport ever.
The three clear favorites to win the French Open (Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz) and the player with the fifth-best odds (Alexander Zverev) are ALL on the same side of the draw. twitter.com/rolandgarros/s…
Patrick McEnroe remarked that it was "unbelievable" that Djokovic, Nadal and Alcaraz could be drawn in the same half.
"Unbelievable… The 3 clear cut favorites @rolandgarros have all been placed in same 1/2 of the draw with @DjokerNole and @RafaelNadal due to collide in quarter final. And @alcarazcarlos03 awaits in semi final. This is why rankings matter people," McEnroe tweeted.
Unbelievable…
The 3 clear cut favorites @rolandgarros have all been placed in same 1/2 of the draw with @DjokerNole and @RafaelNadal due to collide in quarter final
And @alcarazcarlos03 awaits in semi final
This is why rankings matter people.
Some chose to have a sense of humor, joking that the draw was the only thing that could unite Nadal and Djokovic fans.
"At least the French Open draw has done one thing that nothing else could and that is unite both Rafael Nadal fans and Novak Djokovic fans in agreeing that the French Open draw is sh***," one fan quipped.
At least the French Open draw has done one thing that nothing else could and that is unite both Rafael Nadal fans and Novak Djokovic fans in agreeing that the French Open draw is shite.
Others pointed out that Nadal and Djokovic both faced tough draws but that Tsitsipas had a "cakewalk to the final."
"Obviously Novak's draw is bad but I think Nadal's is worse even. FAA is very very scary to play in round of 16. RG really didn't make any gifts to Rafa and Novak this year. Tsitsipas with a cakewalk to the final even more than last year..." one fan mused.
Meanwhile, Feliciano Lopez, who has played at the French Open a record 21 times, will not feature in the main draw for the first time since 2002. He lost to Gian Marco Moroni in the first round of qualifying.
The Spaniard had registered 79 consecutive Grand Slam appearances after participating at the Australian Open earlier this year.
It's the end of an era.
Feliciano Lopez had been a part of every single Grand Slam main draw since the 2002 Roland Garros.
His streak of 79 consecutive appearances will end in 2022, as the 40-year-old has just lost to Gian Marco Moroni 1-6 6-7 in French Open qualifying R1.
What does the French Open draw mean for the top seeds?
Novak Djokovic, who has been touted as one of the favourites going into the French Open, will take on Yoshihito Nishioka in his opening match. The World No. 1 has beaten Nishioka in both of their previous matches, at the 2020 Australian Open and the 2019 Davis Cup Finals.
2022 French Open men's draw
Djokovic to face Nishioka in round one
Rafael Nadal will take on Jordan Thompson in his opener in Paris. Nadal has played Thompson only once before, beating the Australian at the 2020 Paris Masters.
The legendary duo of Nadal and Djokovic may end up facing each other in the quarterfinals. Djokovic beat the Spaniard in an epic semifinal last year.
Projected men's quarter-finals
Djokovic vs Nadal
Zverev vs Alcaraz
Ruud vs Tsitsipas
Rublev vs Medvedev
#RolandGarros
Madrid Open champion Carlos Alcaraz may run into Alexander Zverev in the last eight. Alcaraz powered his way past the German in the final of the Madrid Open a couple of weeks ago.
On the women's side, Iga Swiatek, the undisputed favorite, finds herself in the top half of the draw. The Pole, who has won 28 matches on the trot, will square off against a qualifier in her opening match and could face either Alison Riske or Dayana Yastremska in the second round.
Roland-Garros women's singles draw :
#RolandGarros https://t.co/nw6PiZBiuu
A possible match-up against either 2018 champion Simona Halep or 2017 winner Jelena Ostapenko beckons for Swiatek if she makes it to the Round of 16.
Paula Badosa, who heads the second quarter of the draw, will take on French wildcard Fiona Ferro.
World No. 7 Aryna Sabalenka and World No. 9 Danielle Collins are placed in the bottom of the second quarter while Ons Jabeur, who is currently ranked No. 6 in the world, heads the third quarter.
Naomi Osaka will take on Amanda Anisimova in an enthralling first-round encounter.