Roland Garros, John McEnroe has a'definite idea about Jannik Sinner and does not rule out a surprise

For John McEnroe, the upcoming Roland Garros has a clear favorite, but there is also a variable ready to tip the balance. The former U.S. outfielder, talking to ‘Forbes,’ explained that he sees Jannik Sinner as the benchmark on the circuit right now, but at the same time he does not rule out that the absence of Carlos Alcaraz may open unexpected scenarios for other top-ranked tennis players.

“It seemed almost impossible that certain champions could return to winning a Slam, but with Alcaraz’s injury the situation has suddenly opened up again: Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and other players coming back from complicated periods could find themselves with an opportunity that, under normal conditions, they would never have had,” McEnroe said.

In spite of this, his reading remains clear: “In Paris it will be Sinner against the rest of the pack: if I had to bet on someone, I would bet on him.” A heavy investiture, that of the finalist of the Paris tournament in 1984 (only Ivan Lendl denied him victory at Roland Garros), which confirms how much the Blue is now perceived as the technical and mental reference of the ATP Tour.

McEnroe, however, does not close the door to surprises. “Alcaraz’s absence will allow others to take a path that they probably never could have taken, and in this picture Djokovic remains a name to be reckoned with: he is experienced, knows how to win and has already demonstrated his ability to take advantage of contexts with shorter, less wearisome exchanges.”

Djokovic will be in his 22nd appearance this year at Roland Garros, a tournament he has won three times (2016, 2021, and 2023), reaching the final on four other occasions and the semifinals in six other editions, for a total of no less than thirteen appearances among the top four at the Paris Slam. Last year his adventure came to a halt in the semifinals right before Sinner, who won 6-4, 7-5, 7-6(3).