What French Open told us about Olympic favourites

The French Open is complete for different twelvemonth - but nan clay courts of Roland Garros will beryllium backmost successful usage sooner than you think.

The iconic Paris venue will big nan tennis tournaments astatine this summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games.

It is nan first clip since Barcelona 1992 that tennis astatine nan Olympics will beryllium played connected nan surface.

So, has nan French Open fixed america immoderate hints astir nan gold-medal contenders?

It's difficult to look past Iga Swiatek for women's singles gold.

The 23-year-old has won 4 Grand Slam titles since nan past Olympics successful 2021, pinch 3 of those triumphs arriving connected nan clay courts of Roland Garros.

"I emotion it here," Swiatek said aft winning her 3rd consecutive French Open title pinch a commanding triumph complete Italy's Jasmine Paolini.

Paolini told Swiatek afterwards that playing her successful Paris is "the toughest situation successful this sport" - and she's not wrong.

That last triumph stretched nan Pole's winning streak astatine Roland Garros to 21 matches.

It besides rounded disconnected a ascendant clay-court play for Swiatek, who added to her wins successful Madrid and Rome to go conscionable nan 2nd subordinate aft Serena Williams to declare nan 'Triple Crown' successful a almanac year.

Not moreover Swiatek's 3 closest-ranked rivals - Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina - person been capable to conclusion her connected nan aboveground this year.

Keeping her distant from nan golden badge will beryllium difficult.

Olympic golden is nan 1 point missing from Novak Djokovic's trophy collection.

And astatine 37, clip appears to beryllium moving retired for nan Serb to triumph astatine a Games.

In April, Djokovic said Paris 2024 was "a priority" this year.

However, his Olympic dream has been hampered by a medial meniscus tear successful his correct knee that caused his withdrawal from nan French Open quarter-finals.

Not only did that extremity Djokovic's hopes of winning a grounds 25th Grand Slam title, it besides intends he faces a title against clip to beryllium fresh successful clip for nan Olympics.

Djokovic earned a bronze badge astatine Beijing 2008, but he has mislaid nan third-place lucifer doubly successful his 3 Olympic appearances since.

Long-term rivals Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray person some won golden successful nan men's singles, while Roger Federer took metallic successful 2012.

While Swiatek is nan nailed-on favourite for golden successful nan women's draw, it's harder to telephone connected nan men's side.

Even if Djokovic is fresh successful clip for nan Olympics, nan 24-time Grand Slam champion has struggled for shape this year, failing to scope a final.

Carlos Alcaraz will caput into nan Games arsenic nan reigning French Open champion aft claiming a maiden title astatine nan tourney galore ever thought he was destined to win.

However, it was thing but an easy tally for nan Spaniard, who needed 5 sets to triumph his semi-final against Jannik Sinner, while Alexander Zverev besides took him to 5 successful nan final.

Runner-up Zverev is nan defending Olympic champion, and nan German will return assurance from reaching nan showpiece aft failing to triumph his 3 erstwhile semi-finals successful Paris.

New world number 1 Sinner made his champion tally successful nan French capital, while chap semi-finalist Casper Ruud tin besides beryllium considered a cardinal contender having made 2 of nan past 3 finals astatine Roland Garros.

This year's French Open was a tourney to hide for nan British singles players.

The six Britons - Andy Murray, Katie Boulter, Cameron Norrie, Jack Draper, Dan Evans and Harriet Dart - each mislaid their opening matches successful nan first 3 days.

A mediocre showing successful Paris doesn't bode good for Team GB astatine this year's Olympics, but Evans said British tennis was successful nan "best spot" it had been connected clay for a agelong time.

Two-time Olympic golden medallist Murray came adjacent to winning nan title astatine Roland Garros successful 2016, losing to Djokovic successful nan final.

Paris 2024 is apt to beryllium nan 37-year-old's past chance to compete astatine a Games, having said earlier this twelvemonth he is not readying to "play overmuch past this summer".

Team GB mightiness guidelines a amended chance astatine nan Paralympics erstwhile it comes to tennis.

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid will beryllium favourites to triumph men's doubles golden successful Paris aft sealing their 5th consecutive French Open triumph connected Saturday.

The pair, who person won 20 Grand Slam titles together, will beryllium keen to amended their silver-medal results from 2016 and 2020.

World number 1 Hewett will besides want to get his hands connected nan golden badge successful nan singles, aft losing retired to Reid successful Rio successful 2016.

He mislaid successful nan French Open singles semi-finals this year, pinch Japanese teen Tokito Oda winning nan title for nan 2nd twelvemonth running.