The start of Roland Garros is approaching and the great figures of tennis rush their predictions about what they expect in the great date of the season on clay, with Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal or Carlos Alcaraz as some of the figures to follow.
The last to give his prediction was former tennis player and current Eurosport commentator Mats Wilander, who believes that Djokovic arrives in better shape than the Murcian for the Paris event. “I think Novak Djokovic’s preparation for Roland Garros is perfect. I would rather have Djokovic’s preparation than Carlos Alcaraz’s for Roland Garros. Win Rome, have a week off and then go to Paris.”
However, Wilander also surrenders to Alcaraz’s versatility after his successes on hard courts and clay this season. “I always feel that it is very important to have good periods. Especially when you see what Alcaraz has done, that he has been able to win on hard courts and then go to clay and win on it. It is an injection of morale for the tennis player and gives him respect in the locker room “
In fact, Wilander believes that his good results on hard courts can help Alcaraz opt for other big titles like the US Open. “Perhaps we could compare him with someone who has won two consecutive tournaments on clay, but he is a boy with a lot of variety, and this path can lead him to win the US Open. He has won in Miami, and now he has a chance to win at the US Open because you already know what it’s like to win on hard court. We haven’t had this capacity for variation on the men’s tour since the ’80s.”
Even so, Wilander reiterates that the fact that Alcaraz did not play in Rome createde that will make him arrive with less confidence and preparation compared to tennis players like Djokovic. “For me, Alcaraz, despite what he has done, does not arrive at Roland Garros with all the confidence. Since he didn’t play in Rome, he has to start over, start playing well again, train well and then I hope he has good games. in the early rounds of Paris to prove that he is back. For me, Djokovic arrives in better shape and for the first match I will look to see if he has any weaknesses”.