Mardy Fish picks Rafael Nadal ahead of Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev in French Open men's power rankings, makes surprise Tommy Paul decision

Mardy Fish named Rafael Nadal his favorite in men's power rankings for the 2024 French Open. The list consisted of five players the American thinks have a great shot at winning the tournament.

The main draw for this year's Roland Garros was released recently giving the players the path to La Coupe des Mousquetaires. The tournament will be headlined by the likes of Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Rafael Nadal, and others.

Amid the announcements of mouth-watering first-round clashes such as Rafael Nadal vs Alexander Zverev and Stan Wawrinka vs Andy Murray, former American tennis player Mardy Fish has dropped his men's power rankings for this year's tournament.

Fish has declared the 14-time winner the favorite to lift the title in front of defending champion Novak Djokovic, who finds himself sitting in fourth place. Ahead of the Serb in third place is the Spaniard's first-round opponent Alexander Zverev with Grigor Dimitrov rounding up the list at fifth.

A surprise pick by the American is his compatriot Tommy Paul, who is in second place. Paul has never moved past the second round at Roland Garros in his career so it is possible that the American might have put out the list as a tongue-in-cheek post, especially considering the history of the concerned players at the Paris Major.

Mardy Fish jokes about the first-round match between Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev at French Open 2024

The Spaniard with La Coupe des Mousquetaires

Mardy Fish joked about the first-round match between Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev at the 2024 French Open. The American quipped who the German was playing acting as if he didn't know who the Spaniard was.

The 37-year-old has set up a blockbuster clash with Zverev in the opening round. Coincidentally, their most recent meeting also came at the French Open which was packed with brutal ball striking for almost two sets.

However, the German faced a horrific ankle ligament tear when he slipped trying to hit a forehand bringing the match to an anti-climatic end after three hours and three minutes with the Spaniard a set up at 7-6(8), 6-6.

The two will get a chance to finish what they started nearly two years later. While Zverev is seeded fourth, Nadal exercised his protected ranking to enter the Paris Major.

Fish took to X where he joked about who Zverev was playing in the first round because he hadn't heard of the player, alluding to the Spaniard.

"Who does Zverev play in the 1st Rd of the French? Haven’t heard…"

The main draw of the French Open will begin on 26 May.