Expert Picks, Player Edition: ATP, WTA stars select Roland Garros champion from opposite draw

PARIS—Welcome to Day 1 of Roland Garros!

The Tennis Channel social and TENNIS.com editorial teams have a special bonus edition of Expert Picks to share: we polled the ATP and WTA players who came through our media day setup to tip the winner of the opposite tour’s singles draw. (For the Writer Edition of Expert Picks, **click here**.)

Allez!

Women’s Champion

Carlos Alcaraz: To be honest, I think Sabalenka. She’s the tiger. She’s doing amazing.

Arthur Fils: I will go with Coco. She’s playing unbelievable, a great athlete.

Lorenzo Musetti: I’ll go with Jasmine Paolini. She’s having a tremendous season and she’s the Rome champion. And also, she’s my friend and my teammate.

Ben Shelton: My winner on the women’s side, this year I’m gonna go with an American. Coco.

Gael Monfils: Hopefully my wife (Elina), 100 percent. She’s in great form.

Taylor Fritz: I’ve gotta support Coco.

Casper Ruud: That’s a tough one, it’s very open. I’m gonna go for either Coco or Iga. Coco, she’s hungry of course to try and get a title, been really steady this clay season. Looking fit and strong out there. Iga of course three years in a row, she’s won. I hope for both that they can do it, but that’s tough with tennis. There can only be one winner in the end.

Daniil Medvedev: Not easy. I have my pick, but I don’t want to say it out loud. If you see me next tournament, you ask me if that was my pick or not.

Tommy Paul: I’ve got Coco. I think she’s playing great, obviously coming off of two finals. I think she’s hungry but also confident.

Joao Fonseca: I would choose a Brazilian, Bea Haddad Maia. I cheer for her, she’s my friend.

Jannik Sinner: Iga usually plays good here, moving well on clay. So I would go with her.

Jack Draper: I’d say Sabalenka. She’s been amazing this year, winning pretty much most tournaments. I think the competition is very strong, the women’s. I’ve been watching obviously at the joint events. It’s an exciting place for women’s tennis. You’ve got Paolini who won Rome, Gauff is playing great. But I think Sabalenka is probably the favorite.

Men’s Champion

Madison Keys: I think Jannik Sinner is gonna win.

Jasmine Paolini: I would like to see Sinner or Musetti. But I’m thinking Carlos Alcaraz. But hopefully not! (laughter)

Jessica Pegula: Maybe like Jack Draper, or Tommy Paul, or Taylor Fritz. I feel like I would kind of want someone to win that’s not notoriously known as a clay-courter to break the mold a little bit.

Zheng Qinwen: I would choose Carlitos because he won last year.

Mirra Andreeva: I would choose, maybe, Andrey Rublev, maybe Daniil Medvedev, maybe Karen Khachanov, because I really like their personalities. I feel like Carlos should also defend his title. No pressure, but I just feel like it would be nice to defend a title here in Paris.

Alexandra Eala: Carlos. It’s so fun to see him play on court. His athleticism and obviously he’s always smiling. I think he’s a great role model for everybody.

Jelena Ostapenko: It’s hard to think that Rafa’s not playing! Dimitrov, I think he deserves it.

Coco Gauff: I would have to go with Carlos for the fact he won in Rome and defending champion here. Dark horse: I’ll go with Mensik. I think he’s a good competitor.