Alex de Minaur on tricky path to potential Jannik Sinner final as Aussies cop 'very tough' French Open draw
If Alex De Minaur is to go deep at Roland-Garros, he's going to have to overcome several tricky opponents before a potential quarter-final meeting with Novak Djokovic.
And he's not the only Aussie facing an uphill task after the draw for the clay-court slam was released on Friday morning.
De Minaur, the No.8 seed, will begin his campaign against a qualifier or a lucky loser, but assuming he progresses, is then likely to face unseeded world No.36 Alexander Blockx.
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From there, he could face nothing but seeded players – Czech Jakub Mensik in the third round, and Andrey Rublev in the fourth.
He's on a path to potentially meet Novak Djokovic in the quarter finals. But after the withdrawal of Carlos Alcaraz - who knocked de Minaur out of the Australian Open - hopes will be high the Aussie can have his best run in Paris.
He won't have to face the world's best player Jannik Sinner until the final if both men make it that far., although de Minaur's best surface has never been clay.
Alex De Minaur has a nightmare draw at Roland Garros. DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Of the 13 Aussies in the two main draws, five have drawn seeds in the first round.
On the men's side, Adam Walton has No.6 seed Daniil Medvedev first up, while Rinky Hijikata takes on American No.24 seed Tommy Paul.
On the women's side, Kim Birrell will face No.5 seed Jessica Pegula, Maya Joint against No.28 seed Anastasia Potapova, while teen Emerson Jones has the toughest challenge of all the Aussies in No.3 seed and four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek.
Meanwhile, world No.1 Jannik Sinner won't have the crowd on his side when he starts his quest for a career grand slam, having drawn French wildcard Clement Tabur – ranked a career-high 165th – in the first round.
With two-time reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz out injured, Sinner is the overwhelming men's favourite.
The Italian is unbeaten in three months. He's won 29 straight matches and dropped just three sets. The French Open is the only major Sinner hasn't won. Sinner had three match points in last year's final but Alcaraz prevailed in an epic match.
In the women's draw, Coco Gauff is trying to become just the third woman to successfully defend the Roland Garros title this century after Justine Henin and Iga Swiątek. Gauff will start her campaign against fellow American Taylor Townsend, a doubles specialist.
Gauff said at the draw she was "as ready as you can be".
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Aussie teen Emerson Jones will play Iga Swiatek in the first round at Roland Garros. Bradley Kanaris via Getty Images
"I feel I had a good tournament in Rome, similar to the preparation I had last year, so I feel really ready."
In the absence of Alcaraz, who will also miss Wimbledon, Sinner has claimed all three clay Masters trophies in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome. Sinner has the fifth longest winning run in the ATP Tour era (since 1990). Novak Djokovic has the record of 43 straight wins in 2010-11.
With his historic Rome title – the first homegrown men's champion in 50 years – Sinner became the second man after Djokovic to win all nine Masters, the biggest tournaments outside the four slams.
Djokovic continues to chase an unprecedented 25th major title. But the Roland Garros champion from 2016, 2021, and 2023 is in Paris with only one match on clay this season and only three tournaments all year because of a shoulder injury.
Jannik Sinner will start his Roland Garros campaign with against a French wildcard. Xinhua News Agency via Getty Ima
The 38-year-old will take on Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round. Djokovic couldn't meet Sinner until the final.
No.2 seed Alexander Zverev, still looking for his first major crown after making it to the 2024 final in Paris, will be up against another local player, Benjamin Bonzi.
Home favourite Arthur Fils, the highest-ranked French player at No.19, opens against Wawrinka in a mouth-watering contest.
Roland Garros first round Australian matches
MEN
Aleksandar Vukic v Raphael Collignon
Alexei Popyrin v Zachary Svajda
Adam Walton v Daniil Medvedev [6]
Alex De Minaur v LL/Q
Rinky Hijikata v Tommy Paul [24]
James Duckworth v Gabriel Diallo
Thanasi Kokkinakis v Terence Atmane
WOMEN
Daria Kasatkina v Zeynep Sonmez
Kimberly Birrell v Jessica Pegula [5]
Maya Joint v Anastasia Potapova [28]
Talia Gibson v Yulia Putintseva
Ajla Tomljanovic v Caty McNally
Emerson Jones v Iga Swiatek [3]
