PARIS (AP) —
Naomi Osaka will not have the luxury of easing into her return to the courts of the French Open, facing a tough foe in her very first match.
Week 2 at Roland Garros, meanwhile, could be quite fascinating for
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz — the three leading favorites for the men's title ended up on the same side of the bracket for the clay-court Grand Slam tournament, meaning only one can reach the final.
Thursday's draw at Roland Garros also set up two tantalizing possibilities in the fourth round for
No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek, the 2020 champion who is currently on a 28-match winning streak. She might need to go up against 2018 champion Simona Halep at that stage or 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko — who just so happens to be the last woman to defeat Swiatek.
The tournament begins Sunday.
Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam champion who used to be No. 1 in the rankings but has slipped to No. 38 in part because of a lack of activity. That included time off for a mental health break after she withdrew from Roland Garros ahead of her second-round match last year, revealing that she has dealt with anxiety and depression.