tennis gut

After 18 consecutive years playing and 14 titles, Rafael Nadal is not playing the French Open in 2023.  This is huge news for the rest of the field.  Traditionally, Novak Djokovic would be the favourite in the absence of Nadal, but his form has been questionable this year.  With Alcaraz taking three clay court tournaments this year, Rune beating Djokovic on clay, and Medvedev winning Rome, who is the favourite?   First Quarter Carlos Alcaraz has had a #1-worthy year: 30-3 on the year including 4 titles.   As tempting as it is to make him the out-right favourite and slot him into Nadal’s shoes, that feels like a bit of a cheat.   Stepping back into reality, this is a guy who’s won one slam title and hasn’t been past the quarters in Paris.   On the other hand, he’s only 20 and the trajectory he’s on has been matched only by multi-slam yearend #1’s.   This guy looks for real. Lorenzo Musetti (seeded 17), made semis in Barcelona and quarters in Monte Carlo, both on clay, beating Si

Does anyone besides the new Big Three have a chance at this title? Swiatek, Sabalenka, and Rybakina have dominated the biggest titles in the last two years and currently hold all four slams.  But there are six other former slam winners in the draw: Krejcikova, Andreescu, Stephens, Ostapenko, Kvitova, and Azarenka.  Is any of them likely to rise up again, or could a new face hold the Coupe Lenglen aloft in two weeks?   First Quarter She’s still #1 but she’s had a far less remarkable half year than last year’s run-up to this tournament.   Instead of four 1000 titles, Iga Swiatek has only two 500’s year-to-date.   She’s suffered three losses to Rybakina this year alone.   But her superlative defense and heavy topspin will always giver her an edge on Parisian clay.   The last defeat to Rybakina was actually a retirement at 2-all in the third, and I suspect she was going to win that one. Iga says her thigh injury is fine. I’ll give the nod to the increasingly versatile Rybakina on fas