Novak Djokovic will begin his pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, facing local favorite Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Meanwhile, top-ranked Iga Swiatek starts her title defense against a qualifier. The French Open draw was announced on Thursday.
Defending champion Djokovic will play his first match since his shock loss to Denis de Minaur at the Australian Open in the fourth round on Tuesday. The former world number one has struggled in the first half of 2024, with the 24-time Grand Slam winner failing to win a single tournament this season. The Serb was knocked out of the Italian Open in the third round this month after suffering a freak head injury.
The 36-year-old has admitted that his career is in the balance but is determined to turn things around at Roland Garros. Djokovic needs just two more titles to surpass Margaret Court for the most all-time victories and is bidding for his fifth French Open crown in his sixth attempt. The Serb is ranked 67th in the world but is unbeaten at home in Paris and has won 14 of his last 15 matches at the tournament.
Djokovic’s return to the main draw at the Geneva Open comes after he was forced to skip tournaments in Spain and Italy to focus on his recovery from the freak head injury that ended his campaign at the Rome Masters. The former world number one has lost all three opening matches in his comeback, putting him far behind the leaders on the road to Roland Garros.
However, the defending champion has already said he is ready to give it everything he’s got to end his season on a high. He will face a strong challenge from Herbert, who has reached the semifinals at Roland Garros twice before and leads the world No. 2 in the head-to-head. A win in Paris would significantly boost his title chances.
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek is also in a strong position heading into the French Open, having won the Madrid and Rome clay-court titles this year to add to her Roland Garros triumphs. The Pole is the second favorite to win at the Stade de Roland Garros. Still, it will take on a qualifier in her opener in Paris and could run into four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the second round. The Japanese star will begin her campaign against Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti.
American Danielle Collins will also start her French Open title defense against a qualifier, while France’s Coco Gauff will have a tough opener against a lucky loser. The French Open begins on May 26 at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris. Swiatek says she must remain ‘humble’ despite her status as a firm favorite, having only been to the final once before when she beat Aryna Sabalenka at last year’s event. The Pole has won the last three matches against the Belarusian but says she must remain stable in her approach.
