Rafael Nadal is still the leading favourite to win the 2022 Roland Garros, although Carlos Alcaraz is likely to pose a serious challenge, according to former player Tim Henman.
Nadal will head to the 2022 Roland Garros in search of a record 14th title at the clay-court Grand Slam. The Spanish player has won four of the previous five French Open titles but couldn't defend his title in 2021 as he lost in the sem-finals against old rival Novak Djokovic.
In addition, the 21-time Grand Slam champion heads to Paris in strong form this season. Nadal won another major title at the 2022 Australian Open before winning the Mexico Open in February before missing out for two months between March and May due to injury.
Due to his lack of playing time recently, Nadal will enter the Roland Garros as the fifth seed. However, despite his lower-than-usual ranking, Henman, when speaking to Eurosport, said he is backing the Spanish star to win again as his historic record is just too strong to ignore.
“I think if Rafa’s foot is healthy – given his record there – you have to make him a very slight favourite, but very close behind him I would have Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz."
One up-and-coming player who has the potential to challenge the greats of Nadal and Novak Djokovic is 19-year-old Alcaraz. In 2022, the Spanish teenager hit top form, winning early season titles in Rio and the Miami Open before showing his quality on clay with titles at Barcelona and Madrid.
Alcaraz is yet to translate his potential onto the Grand Slam stage as his best previous performances came at the Australian Open and last season's Roland Garros where he reached the third round. But Henman feels the teenager's confidence could make him a potential contender for the French Open title.
“His confidence is incredible. It’s going to be a very, very interesting tournament.. I really believe that Alcaraz can win the French Open. I watched him play in Miami, which was obviously on hard courts, but his movement, his speed, his balance, the power that he’s generating with his groundstrokes, is incredible."
“His attitude on top is amazing. So for him to have won Barcelona and Madrid also, he goes into Roland Garros as one of the favourites in my mind. Obviously, if Nadal’s foot is 100% then I still think he is the favourite, but I would put Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz as the second favourites.”