There'll be no Nadal however French Open nonetheless has loads of storylines for followers to get their tooth into (Image: Getty)

There are not any Rafa Nadal, Andy Murray or Emma Raducanu - or any British ladies within the singles - at this yr’s French Open. But there are nonetheless a number of potential storylines on the second Grand Slam of the season which begins on the crimson clay of Roland-Garros on Sunday...

Can Novak Djokovic attain 23?

Rafa Nadal’s domination at Roland-Garros - he has received the title 14 instances - made some years too predictable. But the hip harm to the Spanish celebrity means the boys’s singles in Paris this yr is extra open with half a dozen gamers within the working.

Nadal and Djokovic have been locked collectively on 22 Grand Slams since his successful return to the Australian Open in January. This would be the first time the Serb, now 36, can take the outright lead within the GOAT race after trailing Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal for many of his profession.

Djokovic, who can draw stage with Serena Williams on 23 Grand Slam singles titles with a 3rd triumph right here, mentioned: “It's no secret that one of the main reasons I play today and compete in professional tennis is to try to break more records and make more history in tennis. That's extremely motivating and inspiring for me.

“History being on the line is something that is very flattering and is very motivating, no doubt about it. Obviously Nadal not playing in the tournament here is a big loss for tennis, is a big loss for Roland Garros, because he's by far the most successful player to play in the history of this tournament.

"So of course it opens up a chance and opportunity for the rest of us to try to get a title, because whenever he plays he's an absolute favourite here or any clay court tournament, for that matter. So I think the tournament is quite open, to be honest. Maybe a few guys that are at the top of the favorites list, but anyone can take it. I'm hoping it can be me.”

He has slipped right down to world No.3 after his quarter-final defeat to Holger Rune in Rome and is scheduled to face world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz within the semis right here.

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Carlos Alcaraz stands in the way of Novak Djokovic winning his 23rd Slam (Image: Getty)

Is Carlos Alcaraz the real favourite?

Since Roger Federer’s 2018 Australian Open triumph, Djokovic and Nadal have won 16 out of the 19 Grand Slams. And the Serb has declared himself free of injuries in Paris.

Djokovic listed Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, Jannik Sinner, Alex Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas as potential winners but declared the Spanish world No.1 was the “biggest favourite”.

The world No.3 explained: “Because he's No. 1 in the world, and he's a player that won big titles on clay this season. So right now, you know, he is the biggest favorite regardless of the fact that he has, you know, 1 Grand Slam and I have 22. We look at the last few months and the kind of shape and the form that he's having and that I'm having, I think he's a slightly bigger favourite.”

Alcaraz said: “For me, it's still crazy to see myself in top 1 seed in a Grand Slam. But at the same time, it is great. I'm really happy to be No. 1 seed here in Roland Garros.”

Is the new Big Three in women’s tennis for real?

Poland’s Iga Swiatek, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have won every Major since Ash Barty retired in March last year. And Sabalenka will replace the Pole as world No.1 if she follows her Australian Open triumph with the Paris title.

But Eurosport analyst John McEnroe is backing Swiatek to extend her 62-week reign at the top of the rankings. “On clay she's just a step above everyone,” said the American legend.

“But I think Sabalenka and Rybakina can blow her off the court, they are such big hitters, big servers, particularly, Rybakina. I don't know if you can do that long enough, but it is two out of three as opposed to the best of five, so I think those type of players can cause problems. But I would still pick Swiatek.”

World No.3 Jessica Pegula added: “It's kind of fun to have more of a 'Big Three' on the women's side. I still think anybody can win any tournament any week, but I think they've definitely stepped up, obviously.”

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka faces Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk who 'hates' her in the first round (Image: Getty)

Will political tensions from Ukraine reach Paris?

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka has claimed it is “okay” if Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk “hates me” before their first round political grudge match on Court Philippe-Chatrier at 10am UK time on Sunday.

World No.39 Kostyuk has been a vocal critic of the invasion of her homeland - and the failure of Russian and Belarusian players to condemn the war. The Ukrainian claimed: “They don't say anything bad, but they don't say anything good either.”

Australian Open champion Sabalenka stated: “If I could, I would stop it.” But asked about the personal ill-feeling from Kostyuk before their first meeting since the war, the world No.2 added: “I don't want to waste my energy on this kind of stuff. It's none of my business. So if she hates me, okay. I can't do anything about that.

“There are going to be people who love me; there are going to be people who hate me. If she hates me, I don't feel anything like that to her.”

Will the trio of Brits stick around?

Andy Murray has decided to miss Roland Garros to prepare for the grass-court season while Emma Raducanu is recovering from wrist and ankle surgeries. This leaves no British women in a Grand Slam singles draw since the 2009 US Open - and Cam Norrie, Dan Evans and Jack Draper carrying the Union Jack in the French capital.

British No.2 Evans will play on Sunday against Thanasi Kokkinakis, the Aussie wildcard who took Murray to five long sets in the second round of the Australian Open. “I watched a bit of the start,” said the world No.24. “Kokkinakis is obviously very good in Australia, plays very good tennis but it's totally different circumstances. Clay court is probably his least favourite surface I imagine. It's going to be a good match, a tough match, but it's a match which I hopefully can win.”

No.14 Cam Norrie will open against French wildcard Benoit Paire, the French wildcard he beat 6-0 7-6 6-0 in the first round of the US Open. A fourth-round tie against Alcaraz lies ahead. And injury-hit British No.4 Jack Draper will enter his first ever French Open main draw admitting he is still searching for “confidence” in his body - and doesn’t know if he will hold up.

He needed injections to get rid of “chronic” hip problem caused by scar tissue at the start of the year and he then suffered an abdominal strain which kept him out of Miami, Madrid and Rome.

The big left-hander has played only 16 matches in six events this year - and all three of his wins in Grand Slams have been in straight sets. He took a set off Rafa Nadal in the first round at the Australian Open - in perhaps the Spaniard’s last ever Grand Slam match - but Draper has never played a five-set match.

“In all honesty, I'm waiting for my breakthrough with that,” said the world No.60. “I'm still waiting to find that confidence in my body. I've got a lot of confidence in my tennis but I feel like I need more time. I don't know what's gonna happen this week. I have no idea.” He will play Argentine world No.46 Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round on Monday.