When can Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz meet at the French Open 2024? Looking at how long fans will have to wait until they cross paths in Paris

While neither Novak Djokovic nor Carlos Alcaraz arrive in top form for the 2024 French Open, their accomplishments still place them high on the list of title favorites. The men's singles draw was revealed on Thursday, May 23, and the two have been placed in opposing halves of the draw.

Djokovic headlines the top half of the draw, and will begin his title defense against home favorite Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Alcaraz finds himself in the bottom half of the draw and anchors the sixth quarter. He will know his first-round opponent once the qualifying rounds come to an end on Friday (May 24).

With the two being placed on opposite sides of the draw, they can only meet in the final. The championship round will take place on Sunday, June 9. The last time these two met in a Grand Slam final, Alcaraz ended Djokovic's four-year reign at the 2023 Wimbledon.

Alcaraz's clay season has gone off the rails due to a forearm injury. He missed the Monte-Carlo Masters and didn't defend his title at the Barcelona Open either. He made his comeback at the Madrid Open, where he was the two-time defending champion.

The Spaniard reached the quarterfinals, losing to eventual champion Andrey Rublev. Unfortunately, his injury flared up again and forced him to skip the Italian Open. His participation was in doubt for a while but he seems to have recovered and is eager to start his French Open campaign.

While Djokovic remains in good health, his results haven't measured up to his lofty standards. His title defense at the Australian Open concluded in the semifinals against Jannik Sinner. He next lost to Luca Nardi in the third round of the Indian Wells Masters.

The Serb's clay swing commenced at the Monte-Carlo Masters, ultimately losing to Casper Ruud in the semifinals. He didn't make the trip to Madrid and was stunned by Alejandro Tabilo in the third round in Rome. He took a wildcard to participate in the Geneva Open, where he has made the quarterfinals so far.

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Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have faced off once before at the French Open

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz at the 2023 French Open.

Should Djokovic and Alcaraz lock horns at the French Open, it would be their second time doing so in Paris. They duked it out in the semifinals last year, with the Serb coming out on top to record a 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 win.

Alcaraz was hindered by cramps in the latter half of the match and his level dipped considerably. However, he didn't throw in the towel and fought until the end. As for the Serb, he then defeated Casper Ruud in the final to capture his third title at the venue and complete a triple career Grand Slam.

The two have their battles to fight with form and fitness heading into this year's French Open. However, a final between them would be quite the conclusion to this year's unpredictable clay swing.