Old friend awaits Djokovic as Nadal, Alcaraz star at French Open

In the second round at Roland Garros on Wednesday, reigning champion Novak Djokovic will face his long-time former coach, Slovakia’s Alex Molcan, while Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz attempt to keep their French Open title hopes alive.

Following working with Marian Vajda since he was a teenager in 2006, world number one Djokovic parted ways with him after last year’s ATP Finals. In 2017, they took a break from each other but rejoined the following year.

Molcan and Vajda began collaborating earlier this month.

Djokovic cruised through round one in his first Grand Slam match since losing last year’s US Open final, but in the second week, both Nadal and Alcaraz might stand in the way of a record-tying 21st major.

“The draw is the draw. You can’t really affect it. It’s a matter of luck or some other force interfering with who is going to come to which side and quarter and semi and whatever,” said Djokovic.

“I did look at the draw. I think we all do. But at the end of the day, you always have to turn your attention to only the next challenge.”

In the evening session, Nadal faces French wildcard Corentin Moutet, who is chasing his 14th French Open crown. In the first round, Moutet defeated 2015 winner Stan Wawrinka.

Nadal started the year with a 20-match winning streak, winning the Australian Open for the second time to win a record 21st Grand Slam and leapfrog Djokovic and Roger Federer.

Since his title-winning debut in 2005, the 35-year-old has an astounding 106 wins and just three losses at the French Open, although he has yet to win on clay this season due to rib and foot problems.

“Of course the confidence is higher when you win Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, or Rome,” said Nadal.

“When you are winning more matches and more tournaments you have better confidence. The opponents feel that too, and in the end, you are more used to the level that you need to play to win matches.

“When this is not the case, things are different.”

Alcaraz, 19, is seeking to become only the eighth teenager to win a major men’s title and is generally expected to shatter Djokovic and Nadal’s dominance.

In 2022, he is the most dominant player on the tour, with a 29-3 record and four victories to his credit.

Three of his victories have come on clay, at Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona, and Madrid, when he overcame Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and world number three Alexander Zverev.

In the final 32, he will compete against fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

Zverev will face Sebastian Baez of Argentina, a Roland Garros semifinalist in 2021. Baez, who is 21 years old, won his first title in Estoril earlier this month.

Maria Sakkari of Greece takes on Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic, who was a point away from reaching the final here a year ago.

In round two, reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu will face Aliaksandra Sasnovich, while Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 Flushing Meadows winner, will meet Olympic champion Belinda Bencic.

Victoria Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, will face Andrea Petkovic of Germany, who reached the final four in Paris eight years ago.