French Open enters new era: Three talking points in men's singles

The 2023 French Open gets underway at Roland Garros in Paris on Sunday without defending champion Rafael Nadal and with two-time winner Novak Djokovic struggling with form and fitness.

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AFP Sports looks at three talking points in the men's singles:

Nadal absence and end of era

Rafael Nadal, an ever-present in Paris since his title-winning debut in 2005, will be absent from the French Open where he has been champion on 14 occasions. Failure to recover from a hip injury suffered at the Australian Open in January has also forced the soon-to-be 37-year-old to admit that 2024 will likely be his last year on tour.

This French Open will be the first since 1998 that has not featured either Nadal or the now retired Roger Federer.

Novak Djokovic, the man responsible for two of Nadal's three losses in 115 matches at the tournament, would usually step into the role as title favourite.

However, Djokovic has been bothered by a recurrence of a right elbow injury which has disrupted his clay court season. He failed to get past the last-eight at any of the three clay events he played this spring.

He has also lost his world number one spot to Carlos Alcaraz and will arrive in Paris ranked at No 3 in the world behind Daniil Medvedev who succeeded him as Italian Open champion at the weekend.

"I know I can always play better. Definitely am looking forward to working on various aspects of my game, of my body, hopefully getting myself in 100 percent shape. That's the goal," said Djokovic after losing to Holger Rune in the quarter-finals in Rome.

Djokovic was bothered by a thigh problem earlier this year but still swept to a 10th Australian Open and 22nd Grand Slam title, taking him level with