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The 2024 French Open is set to be one of the most unpredictable Grand Slams in recent times. With former winners like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic struggling for form, several other players have a wide-open chance to make their mark at the tournament as the older generation of players seemingly makes way for the youngsters. The 2024 French Open could well mark a change of guard.
The likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev have come forward as potential title favorites along with the ever-present Carlos Alcaraz. Tsitsipas and Zverev are fresh off winning the Monte-Carlo Masters and the Italian Open respectively and will pose a sizeable threat. Similarly, Alcaraz has established himself as a clay court specialist, winning two Madrid Open titles in recent years.
Along with the established players, there are a few in-form players who could pose a challenge to more experienced contestants at Roland Garros 2024. With the title open for such a wide cast of viers, here are three dark horses who could mount a title challenge at the French Open.
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#3. Andrey Rublev
Andrey Rublev's Grand Slam story has been so near yet so far. The Russian has never made it past the quarterfinals of a Major despite being among the top ranked players in the world. However, that could all change at this year's Roland Garros.
Rublev is fresh off winning the Madrid Open for the first time in his career. The Russian defeated the favorite Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, en route to his biggest clay court tournament win to date.
However, Rublev must break his poor quarterfinal record at Grand Slams to win his first Major title. He has a 0-10 record in Grand Slam quarterfinals, with two of those defeats coming at Roland Garros in 2020 and 2022. With the Madrid Open already under his belt, the Russian will be keen to take the next big step and ready a challenge for the French Open title.
#2. Ben Shelton
Ben Shelton won his first-ever title on clay in 2024 at the ATP 250 in Houston. The American burst onto the tennis scene at last year's US Open and can be considered a dark horse for the French Open title.
Shelton has a game that suits the clay court. Despite his poor run recently on European Clay, the 20-year-old has the potential to work a title challenge in Paris. Shelton has a big serve and covers the court well - two helpful factors to succeed on clay.
During his title run in Houston, the American won three out of his four matches in the deciding set, which shows his potential for resilience. Now, with the French Open title relatively open, Shelton will aim to shock a few players on his way to a title win.
#1. Nicolas Jarry
Nicolas Jarry has a long shot at the title at Roland Garros, but his recent performances at the Italian Open have helped the Chilean emerge as a potential contender.
The 29-year-old mounted a memorable run until the final at the Italian Open. Jarry defeated an in-form Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals, before claiming a thrilling win against Tommy Paul in the semis. However, the Chilean had to settle for a runner-up position as he was defeated by Alexander Zverev in the final.
Jarry used his big serve well throughout his Italian Open run, but further consistency will be key if the Chilean is to win the French Open. Despite it being a relatively distant sight for him, Jarry might just end up causing a few upsets at Roland Garros 2024.
