Tier 3: Jack Draper, Holger Rune, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Arthur Fils
Let’s get this clear from the jump: it’s highly unlikely any of these men will be the French Open champion in two weeks. But they all are at least worth mentioning as potential spoilers to keep a close eye on.
Draper and Rune are both immensely talented top 10 players and have already caused ripples on the clay this year, though neither has shown the consistency on the surface required to win seven-straight BO5 matches here.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has been practically written off as a legitimate major contender, but four of his last five losses in Paris have come against either Alcaraz or Djokovic. A solid first week might reignite his flame.
Finally, it’s been 42 years since the last time a Frenchman, the great Yannick Noah, went all the way at Roland-Garros and while Arthur Fils is yet to arrive as a serious threat at the majors truly, he will be a rapturous home favourite in here in Paris, and thus a nightmare draw for any of the top names.
This probably won’t be the year that the long wait for a home-grown champion ends, but it could be the year Fils officially cements himself as the next true local hope for years to come.