Never write off Rafael Nadal but Novak Djokovic is no1 as he prepares to defend French Open title

The French Open is the first grand slam in two years that will be free of Covid restrictions. That is cause for celebration, especially if you are the Serbian with 20 major wins who is defending his title at Roland Garros.

Novak Djokovic was deported from Australia in January for being unvaccinated and was therefore unable to aim for a 21st major. To add insult to injury, great rival Rafa Nadal went ahead and took a one grand-slam lead. Annoying to say the least and, some would say, a self-inflicted blow.

Djokovic has only played six tournaments this year as a result of his vaccination stance but I believe he still starts as favourite. By his standards he has been starved of success but he was back to his best last week in Rome where he won the Italian Open without the loss of a set.

But the man they all want to a glimpse of at Roland Garros is 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz. Described by Alex Zverev, the world No.4, as the best player on the planet right now, the statistics back that up. This time last year he was ranked 97, now he is sixth and has won Miami on hardcourts and Madrid on clay before skipping Rome.

He became the youngest player since the ATP Tour began to beat three players in the top five back-to-back — Zverev, Djokovic and Nadal. Imagine how big a deal that is in Spain to defeat Rafa on clay.

Spaniard Alcaraz was aged two when Nadal won the first of his 13 French Open titles in 2005 and there can’t be a sporting figure who has carried himself with more grace or inspired more respect.

Well with respect, Carlos knocked him off and said all the right things about how Rafa was his idol, the man he looked up to.

All true but it speaks volumes that he has the presence of mind to find the right words as his world changes.