Rafael Nadal’s absence from the French Open resulting from damage has blown the lads’s draw large open with Carlos Alcaraz the “slight favorite” over Novak Djokovic, former Grand Slam champion John McEnroe has mentioned.
Nadal has not performed since his hip damage on the Australian Open and the 14-times winner at Roland Garros mentioned it may very well be months earlier than he returns to motion as he prepares to finish his profession in 2024.
“Truthfully it was simply so one-sided the way in which Rafa was capable of dominate that each one you’ll be able to speak about is Rafa,” McEnroe advised Eurosport.
“Novak has as many Grand Slams (22), however you do not put him in the identical breath there (at Roland Garros) as Rafa. He set a bar so excessive that it is not possible to think about anybody even get near it.
“So from that standpoint alone, it is rather more open … The perfect would have been, if Rafa was nonetheless enjoying at a really excessive stage and somebody was ok to beat him when he is enjoying nice. That is what folks actually needed to see.”
McEnroe mentioned Djokovic has an important likelihood to win a calendar slam this 12 months however the 64-year-old mentioned kids like world primary Alcaraz and Holger Rune could make the step up.
“I might say Alcaraz can be the slight favorite to win this,” McEnroe mentioned.
“Alcaraz has numerous stress now as a result of he is simply such an unbelievable breath of contemporary air. He is so electrical, the way in which he performs, he is acquired such an important persona that folks need him to win.
“However you then acquired to again it up. He is 20-years-old, however he simply looks like such an important ambassador for our sport that you just’re form of pulling for him.”