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As the French Open draws near, tennis experts worldwide are voicing their opinions on who they feel are the favorites heading into the second Grand Slam of the year.
Over the course of the Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe podcast, tennis insider Adam Zagoria picked Novak Djokovic as the favorite ahead of Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros.
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Zagoria, an eminent freelance sports contributor, felt that although the Serb has won just one tournament this season, the motivation to equal Nadal's record of 21 Grand Slams will drive him on at the French Open.
"Rafa is the all-time leader with 21. You've got to pick Novak as he is super motivated now to get to 21," Zagoria said.
The New York-based writer added that the World No. 1 is finally coming into his own after missing out on several tournaments earlier this year.
"It's fascinating as it's mid-May and he has just won his first tournament of the year," Zagoria said. "Normally for Novak he would have multiple titles at this point but he couldn't play in Australia, couldn't play the sunshine swing, had some early losses but he is obviously rounding into form, was very good this week."
Djokovic won the Italian Open last week without dropping a set.
"We dont really know how is he going to do in best of fives in the Grand Slams" - Adam Zagoria on Carlos Alcaraz's chances at the French Open
Unlike several other tennis experts who have touted Carlos Alcaraz as a favorite for the French Open, Zagoria stressed that the 19-year-old's ability to win five-set matches is yet unproven.
While acknowledging the young Spaniard's phenomenal achievements this season, Zagoria remained skeptical as to how well Alcaraz could hang with the likes of Nadal and Djokovic on the Grand Slam stage.
"He didn't play in Rome but you know he is coming off beating Rafa and Novak last week in Madrid - the first guy ever to beat both of them on the same clay court tournament and he just destroyed Alexander Zverev, the No. 3 player in the world in straight sets in the final," he said.
"All that said, he hasn't yet won a major. He capped out at the US Open last year in the quarters with an injury. We don't really know how is he going to do in best of fives in the Grand Slams. Can he really hang with the Novak's and the Rafa's and the Tsitsipas' of the world in the best of fives? So, it's a lot of hype and we will see," he concluded.
French Open main-draw action will get underway on Sunday.
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