It may have lasted less than two sets, but Alexander Zverev’s Roland Garros semi-final against Rafael Nadal still went down as one of the most gripping matches of 2022.

The Court Philippe Chatrier crowd had witnessed three hours and 13 minutes of absorbing action when Zverev badly rolled his right ankle and was forced to retire in agony when trailing 6-7(8), 6-6. It was an unfortunate end to the German’s bold attempt to become just the fourth player to defeat ATP Tour great Nadal at Roland Garros.

“I went into that match, and I had the belief that I can compete, and played with it,” Zverev told ATPTour.com last month. “That match was starting to get better and better, and my tennis started to get better and better, so it was a bit of an unfortunate time for me to get injured because I really felt like I was on top of my game.”

_{^{Zverev in action on a packed Court Philippe Chatrier. Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.}}

Zverev had come out firing in his bid to notch a first Grand Slam victory against Nadal. He led 4-2 in the first set before being pegged back by the Spaniard, who was chasing a record-extending 14th title at the clay-court Grand Slam. Even after letting slip four set points from 6/2 in the tie-break en route to losing the first set, the then-World No. 3 Zverev continued to dictate rallies with his heavy groundstrokes in humid conditions under the Court Philippe Chatrier roof.

“I was playing extremely well,” recalled Zverev. “I felt the ball from both sides, I was playing aggressive. It’s tough to pick one [specific] thing [I did well], but I think we were both at the top of our game.

“It was definitely quite difficult, physically. Especially some points in the second set. I think we were both tired. I did feel OK [just before] the injury happened, though. I was feeling like I was still able to compete, I was still able to run to all the things but of course, we had to maybe play three more sets. So of course, the match would have been very, very difficult, and physically as well.”

Nadal went on to defeat Casper Ruud in the championship match in Paris, a victory that took his tournament match record to 112-3. Zverev showed no nerves at taking on an opponent who is renowned for dominating opponents on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“You know it’s nearly impossible to win against him but still, in your mind, you need to believe that,” said Zverev. “If you go on the court against Rafa, or against Novak [Djokovic] for instance, and you’re thinking that you’re not going to win, you might as well just stay home.”

Zverev had torn all three of the lateral ligaments in his right ankle when moving to his right to chase down a Nadal forehand as the Spaniard forced a second-set tie-break. It was immediately clear he would have to retire from the match, and he later underwent surgery. The post-op recovery combined with a bone edema issue that arose in September meant he did not play another competitive match for the rest of the season.

_{^{A concerned Nadal watches on after Zverev rolls his ankle. Photo: Getty Images.}}

Had Zverev defeated Nadal and gone on to lift his maiden major title at Roland Garros, he would also have reached No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the first time. Five days after his surgery, he rose to a career-high No. 2, but his push to reach top spot was put painfully on hold.

“Of course, I prefer it not to happen, but it’s part of your journey,” said Zverev. “Sometimes there’s things that you have no control over, and that was one of them. Of course, I would have preferred to keep on playing.

“Even if I lost the match, I had great chances to become World No. 1 in the next few months after that. Even with the injury, I still had a chance to become World No. 1 [due to other players dropping points], so it was funny. Of course I would have preferred to play Wimbledon, to play the US Open and play all the big events.”

On Tuesday, Zverev returns to action at Roland Garros for the first time since his dramatic meeting with Nadal in a first-round clash against Lloyd Harris. While the memories of his misfortune in 2022 will always linger, the highs he hit in the two sets preceding his injury are a source of confidence for the 22nd seed.

“I think it was some of the best tennis that I’ve ever played,” said Zverev. “I think he was playing an extremely high level as well, so the match was very interesting to be a part of.

“It’s sad that it ended the way it ended, in a way, [but] there’s some things that you have no control over in life. That was definitely one of them.”

Novak Djokovic made an imperious start to his bid for a record 23rd major crown on Monday at Roland Garros, where the Serbian dispatched Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1) on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Kovacevic made a confident start to his Grand Slam main draw debut, but he was unable to hold his illustrious opponent back after Djokovic claimed the first break of the match in the sixth game. Despite a third-set turnaround in which the American rallied from 3-5 to force a tie-break, Djokovic held firm to complete a first-round win in which he converted five of his 12 break points and struck 41 winners to Kovacevic’s 25.

19-0 ✅@DjokerNole remains perfect in the opening round at #RolandGarros sweeping past Kovacevic 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1). pic.twitter.com/kfMS3dxv0F

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2023

The World No. 114 Kovacevic, who idolised Djokovic as a child and posed for a picture with the Serbian as a seven-year-old at the 2005 US Open, showed flashes of his best level throughout the two-hour, 26-minute encounter. Yet he was unable to match the consistency of Djokovic from the baseline and had no answer to the third seed’s razor-sharp returning.

A two-time Roland Garros champion, Djokovic can move ahead of Rafael Nadal in the Grand Slam titles race with his second major triumph of the season in Paris (he also triumphed at January’s Australian Open). His next challenge in the French capital is a second-round clash with World No. 83 Marton Fucsovics.

A third victory in Paris would also secure a return to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for Djokovic, who was usurped from top spot by Carlos Alcaraz three weeks ago. The 36-year-old now has 85 match wins at Roland Garros, second only Nadal’s 112.

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and two-time champion Novak Djokovic kick off their Roland Garros campaign on a jam-packed Monday in Paris, where Jannik Sinner, Frances Tiafoe, and Cameron Norrie are also among the seeded players in action.

ATPTour.com previews three key matches on Day 2 of the clay-court major.

[1] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. [Q] Flavio Cobolli (ITA)

The top seed Alcaraz, who boasts a 30-3 season record, begins his quest for a second major title against a confident Cobolli, who advanced through qualifying en route to his maiden Grand Slam main draw appearance. Alcaraz on Monday will play his first match at a major since winning the 2022 US Open (withdrew from the Australian Open with a right leg injury).

A quarter-finalist last year in Paris, Alcaraz has shown his best level on the clay this season, collecting three of his four 2023 titles on the surface. When asked in his pre-tournament press conference how his game differs from a year ago, Alcaraz stated his improvements have been on the mental side of the game.

“I would say I’m the same player as last year, only change that I would say is that I’m more mature. Mentally I’m better,” Alcaraz said. “I can read what happened on court better than last year. For me, it’s really, really important, and I would say it’s the [aspect that is] most different [from] last year.”

The #NextGenATP Italian Cobolli, who is seventh in the Pepperstone ATP Live Next Gen Race, has been enjoying a rise on the ATP Challenger Tour. In 2022, the 21-year-old won his first Challenger title on the clay of Zadar, Croatia. A year later, Cobolli will contest in one of the biggest matches of his career against World No. 1 Alcaraz. Cobolli and Alcaraz met on the Challenger Tour in 2020, with the Spaniard triumphing in straight sets. Monday will be their first tour-level encounter.

[3] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA)

The 36-year-old Djokovic seeks his top form in Paris after tallying a 5-3 match record across this year’s clay swing. But the Serbian always rises to the occasion on the biggest stages and will be dialled in this fortnight as he aims for a record-setting 23rd major title.

It will be Djokovic’s first match across the net from Kovacevic, who grew up idolising him and sat courtside for the Serbian’s first-round victory at the 2005 US Open. Since that encounter, Kovacevic has been inspired by Djokovic, and will make his Grand Slam debut against the 93-time tour-level titlist.

Kovacevic made his tour-level debut last year in Seoul, where he was a semi-finalist and introduced the tennis world to his smooth one-handed backhand. Enjoying a steady rise since graduating from the University of Illinois in 2021, Kovacevic will face a Top-20 opponent for the first time.

[10] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs. Fabio Fognini (ITA)

Three-time major quarter-finalist Auger-Aliassime and former World No. 7 Fognini will clash in an intriguing first-round match on Court Simonne-Mathieu.

Auger-Aliassime brought a high level to Roland Garros last season, including in a five-set, fourth-round thriller against eventual champion Rafael Nadal. The 10th seed will have to be on guard out of the blocks as Fognini’s shotmaking ability always provides a unique challenge for even the best players.

Felix won his lone tour-level meeting against Fognini in 2019, a commanding 6-2, 6-3 victory at the ATP 500 event in Rio de Janeiro.

Also In Action…

Eighth seed Jannik Sinner and home hope Alexandre Muller will close the evening on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Cameron Norrie, seeded 14th, aims to maintain his perfect record against Frenchman Benoit Paire.

Arthur Fils, who arrives in Paris fresh off a dream title run in Lyon, will meet 29th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. On Court 7, 26th seed Denis Shapovalov opens the day against Brandon Nakashima and 12th seed Frances Tiafoe will later play Filip Krajinovic.

The 2015 Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka will face Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas for an eighth time. Two-time finalist Dominic Thiem will play Argentine Pedro Cachin.

This year’s Roland Garros is proving a renaissance for Lucas Pouille.

No. 675 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, the Frenchman entered the tournament far from the level with which he once cracked the world’s Top 10. But inspired by his home crowd, the 29-year-old has shown he has plenty of top-level tennis left in him.

Pouille defeated Austrian lucky loser Jurij Rodionov 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday to reach the second round. The Frenchman is the lowest-ranked player to win a first-round match at Roland Garros since World No. 762 Pablo Cuevas in 2013.

Pouille qualified for the main draw on Thursday when he rallied past Rodionov. The Austrian was given a second chance to oust the home favourite when he moved into the draw as a lucky loser, but was unable to overcome the five-time ATP Tour titlist.

“It was special. It was the first time for me that I was playing against the same opponent in three days in the same tournament,” Pouille said. “I was quite stressed when I saw the draw, but then I realised also that it was a good draw. Good first round in Roland Garros when you see Alcaraz playing a qualifier or Medvedev or some other player.

“I sais, ‘Okay, you beat him in the qualies, so he is afraid of you, and just take this advantage for you and just give 100 percent, and you’ll see.'”

After the 2019 Australian Open semi-finalist sealed his victory in one hour and 56 minutes, he sang La Marseillaise in unison with the crowd. The moment will be one of the most memorable of the tournament.

In the evening match on Court Philippe Chatrier, No. 1 Frenchman Ugo Humbert cruised past countryman Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. It was the 24-year-old’s first Roland Garros win on his fifth attempt.

“It’s really special. I’ve been trying for four to five years, and I’ve never managed to actually relax on court here until I was very first on centre court, on Philippe-Chatrier Court,” Humbert said. “I had a wonderful time, and I’m really satisfied with my first match.”

The lefty has found great success on the ATP Challenger Tour in recent weeks. He lost in the first round in Madrid to Emil Ruusuvuori before winning the Challenger 175 event in Cagliari. After again falling to Ruusuvuori in the first round in Rome, he lifted another Challenger 175 trophy in Bordeaux.

“It was a mental process. Jeremy [Chardy], my coach, tried to convince me that I could win. In the previous seasons I had only had two to three wins on clay,” Humbert said. “And so he told me, ‘All right, well, trust me. You are going to try to play differently, even if you’re not going to succeed at the beginning’. That’s what I did in Cagliari, it implied some questions about my game and how to adjust it to play on clay and to protect yourself on clay. It’s crucial.

“I’m really enjoying it out there. Now it’s the surface on which I’ve won the most points, so I’m really glad.”

In another all-French match, Corentin Moutet defeated #NextGenATP Arthur Cazaux 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

“[I was] trying to be aggressive and trying to reproduce what we do when we practise. I was trying to play my game. Anyway, I don’t have 1,000 more options when I play,” Moutet said. “I didn’t know him really well, so I was trying to discover what I had against me.”

On 8 June 2003, Juan Carlos Ferrero beat Martin Verkerk to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires at Roland Garros, in what was one of the highlights of his career. Twenty years later, the former World No. 1 is back at the season’s second major on the bench of one of the favourites for the title in Paris.

On Monday, Carlos Alcaraz will play his first-round match against Flavio Cobolli of Italy with the peace of mind knowing that his coach has already been there and done that in Paris.

“During the pandemic he watched a bit of the final,” said Ferrero of Alcaraz and his Roland Garros championship match. “Kids today are much more about highlights than entire matches. We joke a lot, and he tells me that I didn’t used to hit the ball very hard. At the end of the day, I try to get him to see the body language, the mannerisms and the way to handle moments in that kind of match.”

Alcaraz arrives at Roland Garros as the first seed, and with something of a target on his back as the man to beat on clay. Novak Djokovic and Casper Ruud, for example, were quick to name the Spaniard as the man most likely to get his hands on the trophy come the competition’s closing Sunday.

“Carlos has played better than anyone during the clay season, but you have to do that every day at every tournament, as I tell him,” revealed Ferrero. “We saw that in Rome; you have an average day, your opponent plays well and you lose. Everything points to Carlos as the favourite, we’ve heard it many times and we know that.”

Ferrero explained that the team has tried to prepare for Roland Garros as well as possible and that there are positive ways to look at his early Rome loss to Fabian Marozsan.

“The rest after losing in Rome was good for him to reset on a mental level by being at home for a while,” Ferrero said. “We hope everything goes well. If there are no mishaps, I think he’s one of the favourites for the title. Will it happen? We don’t know.”

World No. 1 Alcaraz is playing in his first Grand Slam since winning last season’s US Open (he missed the 2023 Australian Open due to injury). Having already walked that path should help him, according to his coach.

“He’s a better player this year,” Ferrero said. “The experience of winning the US Open and going through what came after it has matured him more. The injuries have also made him think that it’s not all a bed of roses, that bad things can happen.

“In any case, he’s more mature as a person. He’s 20 and, also, when you’re in a team where people are older, I think you grow up a little quicker than you would with people who are your age.

“The whole team is very experienced, each in their own field. Carlos has an advantage in that respect: we’ve been with him for a while and we’ve worked hard to get him organised and on the right path.”

Ferrero added that the team is trying to help Alcaraz improve technically, like on his return and serve, as well as on his focus. “He is on a steep upward curve,” he said.

However, having won a major last year in New York does not guarantee anything, and there is history to prove it.

“You have to learn how to win a tournament like that one,” warned Ferrero. “I think a Grand Slam is always much more difficult than the others because you have to play seven matches and they’re best-of-five. It is more within reach for us Spanish players because we watch Roland Garros from a very young age. We have the examples of [Sergi] Bruguera, [Álex] Corretja, [Carlos] Moyà, myself… That makes you believe you can do it.”

Thus, the Spaniard will set out on his campaign ready for anything the tournament can throw at him. Ferrero knows it, and so does Alcaraz. From this moment on, the lion’s share of the spotlight, and everything that comes with it, will be on the 20-year-old.

“The pressure will always be there,” accepted Ferrero. “I think people expect a lot from many players, so we try to stay on our path and believe in ourselves. Of course, he won a Grand Slam at 19 and that will help him believe he can do it again.

“We’re ready to have a great tournament. Anyone can lose in the first round, but we’re having a great season on clay. We’ll give our all to have the best tournament possible.”