Wimbledon backlash overshadows French Open

ROLAND Garros may be garnering unprecedented speculation, with an explosive line-up of former champions Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic and next-gen stars Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, all in the heavily-loaded top half of the draw, but it is Wimbledon that has stolen the limelight on the eve of the French Open.

The ATP announced on Friday, that they were removing all ranking points from the oldest Major, on account of the ban the All England Lawn Tennis Club dished out unilaterally to Russian and Belarusian players, contrary to ATP rules.

Having stuck my head on the guillotine by condemning Wimbledon’s shortsighted approach, the inevitable backlash is hardly surprising.

The moral of the story is never bite the hand that feeds you.

Although in terms of old dogs, Stan Wawrinka, Djokovic and Roger Federer, who has delayed his comeback on the AELTC’S hallowed grass until 2023, I doubt points are of as much significance as titles in the race to catch up to “King Of Clay" Nadal’s record-breaking 21.

And for the top young guns, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud and Zverev, money talks over and above points – especially when it is dished out in pounds.

Although it is the players who excel on grass – Dennis Shapovalov, Felix Auger Aliassime and Hubert Hurkacz, who knocked out Federer in the Wimbledon q uarters last year – who will take a knock themselves, having to give up points, they were banking on in the ATP Race to Milan.

Nevertheless there are still Major points to be had in Paris, during this fortnight.

Despite his lacklustre performance against World No 1, Djokovic, at the Italian Open Final last week, Tsitsipas, currently ranked at 4, will be feeling more buoyant, having been dealt the best draw out of the seeded players.

He is in the bottom half of it, tucked away from the other major contenders Djokovic, Nadal, Alcaraz and Zverev, all of whom have beaten him of late.

Nadal, meanwhile, who has been luckier than a Lotto winner, enjoying the most ridiculously “soft” draws for the past thirteen years at the French Open, is finally going to be stringently tested, together with his troublesome foot.

He will have to contend with Wawrinka, Botic van de Zandschulp and Auger Aliassime, before potentially facing arch nemesis Djokovic in the q uarters and Alcaraz in the Semis.

Of further concern for Nadal is that Alcaraz leads the ATP clay court match win percentage for the 52 weeks leading up to Roland Garros. Incredibly, the “Man from Murcia” has won more titles than he has lost matches on his recent clay court surge.

And it is Djokovic who is now coming second with a 21-3 win rate, after winning the one-off Belgrade Open, followed by the Italian Open.

The First Round matches to watch will be the first-time clash between Canadian 20-year-old Dennis Shapovalov, on fire in Rome after winning his first Tour Title in Munich, and 19-year-old Dane, Holger Rune, who has punched way above his weight of late.

As scintillating should be the match between Australian, Alex de Minaur and Frenchman, Hugo Gaston.

De Minaur enjoyed an impressive run to the Last Sixteen at the Australian Open and Semis in Barcelona, where he held a match point against the ultimate winner, Alcaraz.

Whereas Gaston, prone to mercurial performances in front of home crowds, (particularly one, deprived of the antics of French No 1, Gael Monfils, after his withdrawal) reached the Last Sixteen at his debut 2020 French Open, beating former champion Wawrinka and taking Dominic Thiem to five sets.

The Russians, whose president has succeeded in precipitating yet another "war" in administrative sporting hierarchies, are back in full force.

World No 2, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, lurk in the less lethal, lower half of the Draw, with Karen Kachenov in the top half.

Given Medvedev has been out of recent action nursing an injury, so too Nadal, this may just open the door to a happy hunting ground for the hitherto thwarted defending champion Djokovic, a master at bouncing back from bans and rumours of retirement.