As the world prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, tennis fans are buzzing with anticipation for what promises to be an unforgettable tournament on the clay courts at the historic Roland Garros Stadium. Tennis matches get underway in the French capital on Saturday, July 27, the first to be played on clay since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the first Olympic tournament at a Grand Slam venue since London 2012.
Following the last-minute withdrawal of Jannik Sinner, the current world number one, Carlos Alcaraz is the big favorite to take home the gold medal in the men’s singles after winning two consecutive Grand Slams in 2024 (Roland Garros and Wimbledon).
In addition to the Spaniard, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, and Stefanos Tsitsipas are the favorites for gold in Paris. In addition to Sinner’s absence, the event has been plagued by high-profile absences, including Holger Rune, Grigor Dimitrov, Andrey Rublev, and Hubert Hurkacz.
On paper, the draw for Djokovic looks tougher than it will be in reality, with names like Rafael Nadal and Milos Raonic no longer a threat. The highest seed he could face is Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is in very poor form and whose former fitness coach has openly criticized his dedication to the sport.
For Alcaraz, there is no credible name on paper who can cause him any problems until the quarterfinals, which are predicted to be a contest between Alex de Minaur and Tommy Paul, although neither is believed to have the weapons to upset him.
Alexander Zverev is also a medal contender. The German played in his hometown tournament in Hamburg last week and complained about the state of his knee. As the defending Olympic champion, he carries the pressure of defending his title and returns to the scene of a heartbreaking five-set defeat in the Roland Garros final on June 9.
Norwegian Casper Ruud is a big favorite. His record at Roland Garros is exceptional, with appearances in the 2022 and 2023 finals, followed by a semi-final cut short by illness at this year’s edition.
His draw is not the worst, with players like Francisco Cerundolo or Daniil Medvedev capable of troubling him on a good day, but the Norwegian would be the favorite to find his way on the platform he handles best.
Djokovic’s last chance for gold
Speaking of Djokovic, one would imagine that at 37 years old, this is his last chance to win that gold medal that has eluded him on several occasions. While his standing as one of the greatest of all time is beyond doubt, achieving the career Golden Slam would be the icing on the cake.
To date, the only two male tennis players to have won an Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, the US Open, and a gold medal are American Andre Agassi and Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
For one reason or another, he has never done well at the Olympics. The fact that the most successful player of all time has yet to have a moment of glory shows how difficult it is to win this event, which only comes around once every four years.
Djokovic has a decent chance of doing well here. By reaching the Wimbledon final, he has shown that, even though he is not in the best of form and is now in a clear decline from his peak years, he is still ahead of most of the competition.
Unlike at Roland Garros, matches at the Olympics will be played in three sets instead of five, and that could give Djokovic more hope. Alcaraz steamrolled him in a very close Wimbledon final, but if the veteran maestro can regain his form and make one last push with his legs, he could make life difficult for the Spaniard.
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