French Open 2025: Men's singles draw: Biggest winner and loser ft. Novak Djokovic

The draw for the 2025 French Open was revealed on Thursday, May 22, and it has set the tone for what could be a thrilling fortnight in Paris. With the clay season building up to this, all eyes will be on Roland Garros as the world's best look to make their mark.

This year, the men’s field is stacked with all the top players. Jannik Sinner enters as the top seed, Carlos Alcaraz follows as the No. 2 seed, and Alexander Zverev rounds out the top three. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic, a three-time champion, comes in as the sixth seed.

Some top names have landed in comfortable sections, while others could face trouble early on. Here’s a look at who came out of the men's draw with something to look forward to, and who has reason to be wary.

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Novak Djokovic handed a favorable draw as he chases the record 25th Grand Slam title

Novak Djokovic at the Mutua Madrid Open - Source: Getty

The 2025 French Open draw appears to have handed Novak Djokovic a relatively smooth start, with some manageable matchups in the early rounds. He opens his campaign against American Mackenzie McDonald, marking their first-ever meeting on the ATP Tour.

McDonald, ranked World No. 99, has struggled on clay this season, winning just one of his four matches. This makes the American a favorable opening opponent for the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

In the second round, Djokovic is expected to face France’s Corentin Moutet, a player he has beaten in both of their previous encounters. A potential third-round clash with Denis Shapovalov could follow. This is another positive sign for the Serb, who boasts a perfect 8-0 record against the Canadian.

However, the road ahead could get considerably tougher. Djokovic is projected to meet Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round, followed by a quarterfinal showdown with third seed Alexander Zverev.

Should he get through, a semifinal clash with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and a potential fight for the title against World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz may await.

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Carlos Alcaraz handed a difficult French Open title defense from the off

Carlos Alcaraz with the 2024 French Open - Source: Getty

Carlos Alcaraz's French Open title defence will be a difficult task from the very beginning. He has been handed a nightmarish draw with no respite in the early stages.

The Spaniard opens against former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori, a three-time French Open quarterfinalist. Though this will be their first meeting on tour, Alcaraz will need to be sharp from the get-go.

Things don’t get much easier in the second round, where he could face either Fabian Marozsan, who upset him on Italian clay in 2023, or Luca Nardi, who pushed him in Doha earlier this year. A tricky third-round encounter with the big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard could follow.

Should he make it through, Alcaraz is projected to face the likes of Ben Shelton or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the fourth round. From there, it only gets tougher, with a potential quarterfinal clash against Madrid Open champion Casper Ruud, a semifinal showdown with World No. 4 Taylor Fritz, and a blockbuster final against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.