The next fortnight feels like it will be Jannik Sinner versus the rest.
With the French Open starting on Sunday, there are two pertinent questions regarding the men’s singles.
Can anyone stop the Italian world number one from carrying his recent dominance into Roland Garros?
And if Sinner is denied a career Grand Slam in Paris this year, who will be the person to beat him?
With his generational rival Carlos Alcaraz out injured, 24-year-old Sinner begins as the heaviest favourite for the Coupe des Mousquetaires since the great Rafael Nadal.
“He’s maybe in the form of his life, and without Carlos being here increases his chances of claiming more Grand Slam titles,” said third seed Novak Djokovic.
“But we are all here to try to win against him and prevent him from taking more titles.”
A clean sweep of the clay – what has made Sinner unbeatable?
The key narrative in the men’s game over the past two seasons has been the battle for supremacy between Sinner and Alcaraz, with the pair winning the past nine majors between them.
What has largely been a two-horse race now has a clear leader after Alcaraz was ruled out of the French Open and Wimbledon with a wrist injury.
Sinner has won his past 29 matches – a streak which has only been bettered by two men going into the French Open.
Sinner has been victorious at the past six Masters tournaments – the tier of events below the Grand Slams – sweeping up the Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome clay-court titles.
“The thing that makes him so good is you get no breathing room from any corner,” said Norway’s Casper Ruud, who lost 6-4 6-4 to Sinner in the Rome final last week.
“Whether you’re playing a forehand cross-court rally, or a backhand cross-court rally, you know the ball will come at a high pace and typically good placement as well.
“You know if you’re not very precise with your own shots then he will get on top of you and punish you.
“You know every shot needs to be close to perfect.”
Having already claimed the Australian Open (twice), Wimbledon and the US Open, Sinner will take another giant stride to tennis immortality if he adds the French Open title.
Continuing his recent momentum on the clay would see him become only the 10th man to complete the career Grand Slam.
At last year’s French Open, Sinner held three championship points before Alcaraz fought back to win an all-time classic final for his second successive crown.
As well as his four major victories, Sinner has won virtually every other important title and spent 72 weeks as world number one.
Landing the Rome trophy last week ensured he completed the full set of nine ATP Masters 1000 titles – known as the ‘career Golden Masters’.
“The only way to beat him is being at your best for three sets, maybe even four, five sets,” said Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, who was the only player to take a set off Sinner in Rome during their semi-final.
“You need to run, be strong, to serve well, to return well. Everything needs to be on the top level.”
