French Open 2024 Predictions and Tips: Back Alexander Zverev to be victorious at Roland Garros

It has been a busy clay-court campaign on the ATP and WTA Tours and the first half of the European slow-court season culminates in the French Open at Roland Garros with the main draw starting on Sunday 26th May.

In the men's competition, injuries have hindered the progress of 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal as well as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, while Novak Djokovic is not enjoying the best of campaigns.

That means a new men’s winner could be crowned in Paris in the coming weeks. However, in the women's draw, all eyes will be on two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek, who approaches the second Grand Slam of the year in terrific form.

Zverev ready to capitalise on injuries and inconsistencies of big guns

Injury concerns have meant the ATP tour's in-form player Jannik Sinner has lost his shine in the last few weeks. 

Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, has had fitness concerns of his own and has endured a patchy clay-court campaign, while even Novak Djokovic has looked like a declining force in 2024.

For that reason, we could be in for an intriguing men's draw at the French Open and one player who could rise to the occasion is Alexander Zverev.

The draw has not been particularly kind to the German, who will start the French Open with an outing against 14-time champion Rafael Nadal.

But the legendary Spaniard is not the player he once was and is lacking game time on the courts.

Zverev should pass that challenge and he looks a fine bet to go the distance, having won ten of his 13 matches on the slower terrain this year.

In the process, Zverev won the Italian Open in Rome earlier this month and the German has a great record at Roland Garros, having reached the quarter-finals of the Paris major in five of the last six years.

In each of the last three seasons Zverev has made the last four and he looks ready to go the distance this time.

Expect Swiatek to justify favouritism in Paris 

While the men's competition has an open feel to it, the women's French Open looks a little more straightforward.

The clay-court Grand Slam had previously been a tough one to predict but Iga Swiatek has won three of the last four French Open titles.

Not only that but the Polish star also heads into this major in exceptional form, having reeled off 12 successive wins on the way to claiming the Madrid Open and Italian Open titles.

In both of those events, Swiatek defeated her chief rival Aryna Sabalenka in the finals and that should do the champion’s confidence the world of good going into the Paris marathon.

Danielle Collins has also been in fine form. The American ace has picked up titles in Miami and Charleston recently, so she too holds definite claims of a first Slam singles triumph.

But Swiatek has tournament pedigree and form behind her and she should again reign supreme in the French capital.