“I can’t pick one player,” Boris Becker does not consider an outstanding favorite to win the French Open
Even with Novak Djokovic still active in the tournament, he is not outright favorite to lift the trophy.
Boris Becker (Image via Imago)
Over the years, it was easy to predict who was going to win the year’s men’s French Open months before the tournament began. It was either Novak Djokovic or the ‘King of Clay’ Rafael Nadal, but this year, German legend Boris Becker doesn’t see any outstanding favorite to lift the clay major title.
Nadal was always the favorite to win the French Open for one and a half decades. The last time he won the title was in 2022. Last year, injury sidelined him and Djokovic did the job to win it. But, this year both players seem far from their best. Djokovic is yet to win a title this season while Nadal crashed out in the first round losing to Alexander Zverev.
However, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have been placed favorites on paper despite not having won any clay titles this season. Yet, both have been on an outstanding form after returning from injury that saw them miss the Italian Open. On the other hand, Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Casper Ruud have also been seen as strong contenders to win their first clay title.
Despite all these, it remains hard for Boris Becker to pick an outstanding favorite among them who will win this year’s French Open.
I can’t pick a clear favorite for this year’s Roland Garros. In previous years, I would always say Rafael Nadal would win the French Open, or then I would say Djokovic. Now I don’t see one player, but I see a number of players who have done well on clay and this year it is not clear who is the best.
Boris Becker said via Eurosport
Meanwhile, Djokovic will take on Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo later today for his quarterfinal spot. The remaining of the top three, Alcaraz and Sinner, have already sealed their place there.
Jannik Sinner is not favorite to win the French Open for Boris Becker
While Becker doesn’t have his pick for who will lift the Roland Garros trophy, he surely has one who won’t. He doesn’t believe Jannik Sinner is the favorite to win the French Open. Despite the Italian reaching the quarterfinals of the Roland Garros, Becker believes that he has not been outstanding in big clay tournaments.
Sinner was the favorite to win the Monte Carlo in April but he lost in the semifinals. However, he is just returning from a hop injury after missing the Italian Open.
On the clay, he has not won a big tournament yet. You look at last year at Roland Garros and Sinner had a second round loss against Daniel Altmaier in five sets and we don't know how fit he is right now.Boris Becker said via Express
Sinner beat French Corentin Moutet in the fourth round of the French Open 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals. He will play against Grigor Dimitrov tomorrow for a place in the last four.
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Victor Okechukwu
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