Stefanos Tsitsipas gives bold pick for Roland Garros title with Spaniard picked but not Alcaraz or Nadal

Stefanos Tsitsipas will begin his campaign at the 2024 French Open on Monday where he takes on Marton Fucsovics. Perhaps in one of the toughest first round ties that he could get given the pedigree of the Hungarian.

But for Tsitsipas, he sees all as the same with all wanting to win the title and produce at the highest level and that doesn't matter whether it is Fucsovics or himself. He also had a bold pick for the title which is slightly odd compared to who he could've picked.

"I think it's a difficult first round match. We all work so hard, we all train hours on the court. We all want big things out of our tennis and I don't think anyone wants to settle for anything less than a first round," said Tsitsipas.

"So we are definitely all very eager to work hard and get deep runs in slams. So I'm definitely in the same belief that he wants things as badly as I do. Men's tennis is a tough sport, they're a lot of players that can play big regardless of ranking. They can all play at a very high level."

He comes into the French Open after a successful clay court season. He won Monte-Carlo and reached the final in Barcelona with fairly consistent form throughout and he harked back to his week in Monaco.

"My forehand and backhand was working very well. I was coming up with some great down the line shots which were very consistent and accurate on big moments. I was really in control of my backhand. It was serving me really well on opening up the court and also attacking down the line. I feel the bounce was really benefitting me that week. I had a week that was stellar and I was able to really celebrate it at the end."

But in terms of those in the reckoning for the title, he picked a Spaniard but not Nadal or Alcaraz and one that he lost 6-2 in practice. He is known to be friends with said player though. "We have a lot of players that can play good on clay and the competition is always fierce. I believe that this Roland Garros is going to have some really intense ecstatic matches this year. I feel it. I would probably say Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, I'm serious," he said with a smile.

One Spaniard he didn't want to play was Rafael Nadal with many being quizzed on Media Day about it and he said that it could've happened and that he is still Nadal no matter what shape he is in. "I don't think anyone would like to play Rafa. At a place where he was won 14 times. Regardless of people saying he's retiring, it still doesn't matter. That was obviously a scenario that could get in my way and I find it tricky because of course people say he might not be in the best shape but he's still Rafael freaking Nadal."