Who are the favorites at the 2023 French Open? Odds, expert picks, predictions

One of the most important tournaments of the year is about to start and players are making their final preparations to get to the French Open in top shape.

While some of them decided to take part in the Lyon and the Geneva events to maintain the competition rhythm before flying to Paris, others have decided to take a rest and get ready with practice sessions.

This year, though, it will be a different edition. The 14-time French Open winner Rafa Nadal won’t take part in the event, as he hasn’t recovered from a hip injury that has kept him away from the courts since the Australian Open back in January. He recently announced that he will retire next year.

His absence will have a massive impact on the other players’ chances to win the title, while Novak Djokovic will have a golden opportunity to win his 23rd major and overtake Nadal as the player with the most Grand Slam titles won in the men’s singles category ever.

Who are the favorites to win the French Open?

It will be interesting to see who will get the glory in the French capital this year, with Nadal out and some young guns ready to shock the world. These are our main favorites to go all the way in the Parisian courts.

1. Carlos Alcaraz

2022 was his breakthrough year and now he keeps doing what he does best, winning and offering tennis fans a great display of abilities.

Carlitos, who will get to Paris as the World No. 1, will be looking for his second major after winning the US Open last year.

The Murcia native, 20, has won 10 ATP titles so far and he looks determined to keep making history with his solid clay-court game after winning in Buenos Aires, Indian Wells, Barcelona, and Madrid this year.

2. Novak Djokovic

Although he’s not in the best shape of his life, Djokovic is always a threat and a favorite to win any tournament.

Nole, who had to deal with a recurrent elbow injury, was recently beaten by fellow countryman Dusan Lajovic in the quarterfinals of Banja Luka, and he was beaten by Holger Rune in a three-set battle in the same round of the Italian Open (Rome).

However, he knows better than anybody what it feels to play in tournaments like Roland Garros and what he needs to do to come out on top. And this year, knowing he has the chance of lifting his 23rd major, he will be willing to put on a great show on the court for his fans and his legacy.

3. Holger Rune

One year ago, he wasn’t even among the top 10 players to win a major, but Holger Rune is not that player anymore.

The Danish prodigy already sent a message to the tennis world at the end of last year, when he defeated Djokovic in the Paris Masters final, winning his first 1000 ATP tournament at the age of 19.

He will get to Paris after only losing three of his last 17 games on clay, winning in Munich after defeating Botic Van De Zandschulp in three sets.

His strong temper may be a disadvantage, but he has a huge potential and loves to engage in long rallies, where he usually overpowers his opponents.

4. Jannik Sinner

Djokovic was recently asked about who will be, according to him, the next Big Three. He answered without hesitating: “Alcaraz, Rune, and Sinner”.

The young Italian player has the potential to defeat anyone if he’s in shape and he’s just getting better.

If Rune is known, like Daniil Medvedev, to be very expressive and even vocal on the tennis court, Sinner is the very opposite, as he hardly shows any emotions when he’s playing, although his game speaks for itself.

His main weakness is confidence, something he has been working on over the years, but he’s very well-rounded and will be playing on his favorite surface. However, he has shown he’s a real menace on hard courts too, as he proved against Alcaraz last year at the US Open in a spectacular five-setter that the Spaniard ended up winning.

4. Stefanos Tsitsipas

In 2021 he was only one set away from winning his first Grand Slam tournament in Paris, but he ended up losing in five to see Djokovic emerge victorious at the French Open.

Stefanos Tsitsipas hasn’t forgotten that day and will probably never do, which could be an extra motivation for the Greek maestro to reverse the course of history.

Tsitsipas, who has won nine ATP titles as a professional so far, seems determined to win his first major, as this year he made it to the Australian Open final, but once again, he was defeated by Djokovic, although this time in three sets.

5. Casper Ruud/Daniil Medvedev

Casper Ruud and Daniil Medvedev aren’t the main favorites to win this year’s edition, but a case for both men can easily be done.

Ruud played the Roland Garros final last year, losing to the King of Clay Nadal, but the Danish force loves playing in slow-paced courts like the ones in Paris and his fighting style suits the best of five sets games quite well.

Meanwhile, it’s no secret that Medvedev doesn’t like playing on clay, as he has openly admitted his “issues” with this surface, and the reality is that most of his victories were on fast courts.

However, it looks like the Russian is making an effort to adapt his game, even if that means that exchanges from the baseline may become longer than in faster surfaces.

He will travel to Paris as one of the favorites, but the fact that most of the fans don’t expect him to win the title may play in his favor, although he has shown that if he’s 100% focused, he can beat anyone, as he did in the Italian Open, defeating Tsitsipas and Rune to lift the trophy.

The 2023 French Open winner: odds

Who will lift the trophy at the 2023 French Open: prediction

As previously mentioned, this will be an intriguing Roland Garros, as Nadal, who has won it 14 times, won’t be in the French capital this time.

Alcaraz is the main favorite to lift the trophy, given his brilliant performances and his strong mentality, while Djokovic wants to keep making history by winning another major.

It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Rune winning it. The Danish player openly stated that he’s ready to try to win his first Grand Slam tournament this season, so he’s expected to get to the latter rounds.

Could Sinner, Ruud, or Medvedev beat the odds? They have all the tools to do so, but it’s difficult to see them beating Alcaraz and Djokovic’s strength, determination, and versatility in such slow courts, especially in five sets.

Prediction: Carlos Alcaraz to win the 2023 French Open