Jannik Sinner is set to head into the 2025 French Open as the overwhelming favourite, with the world number one now seen as the man to beat after Carlos Alcaraz was ruled out through injury.
The Italian arrives in Paris in blistering form following his dominant run to the Italian Open title, a victory that extended his winning streak at Masters 1000 level to 34 matches and secured a rare sweep of all nine Masters tournaments, a feat previously achieved only by Novak Djokovic.
Sinner’s rise has placed him on the brink of history, with the 24-year-old now targeting a career Grand Slam as he prepares to chase his first Roland Garros crown.
His path has been made significantly clearer by the absence of defending champion Alcaraz, who stunned Sinner in last year’s final after a dramatic comeback from two sets down.
That defeat remains one of Sinner’s rare setbacks, but his consistency since then has been remarkable, losing just twice in 10 tournaments and establishing himself as the most dominant force on the ATP Tour.
Former finalist Casper Ruud, who was beaten by Sinner in Rome, admitted the challenge facing rivals is only increasing, warning that the Italian continues to improve with every tournament.
Novak Djokovic remains the biggest threat to Sinner’s ambitions, with the 24-time Grand Slam champion still chasing a record 25th major title despite recent struggles with form and fitness. However, even the Serbian has found it difficult to match Sinner’s consistency at the highest level in recent months.
Alexander Zverev, now the second seed in Alcaraz’s absence, will also carry hopes of a breakthrough, but his repeated struggles in major finals continue to raise doubts about his ability to end his long wait for a first Grand Slam title.
With the tournament set to begin on Sunday, all signs point to Sinner entering Paris as the clear favourite, with many believing only a major collapse could prevent him from lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires on June 7.
