Novak Djokovic's title drought, Rafael Nadal's uncertainty, Carlos Alcaraz's injury woes: Is this the most open French Open we've had in years? 

Novak Djokovic's ordinary start to the season continued at the Monte-Carlo Masters as he succumbed to a semifinal loss against Casper Ruud.

After a dreadful ending to the hardcourt swing, Djokovic hoped to revive his form on the clay courts of Europe. He looked sharp in Monte-Carlo while defeating the likes of Lorenzo Musetti and Alex de Minaur in the first few rounds, but eventually fell prey to Ruud in the last four. With clay court specialists Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal out of action, Djokovic missed a valuable opportunity to capture his first title this season.

Meanwhile, Stefanos Tsitsipas stunned the tennis fraternity with his splendid performance in the tournament. He first outclassed the in-form Jannik Sinner in the semifinals and then cruised past Ruud in the summit clash to lift the title. The Greek clinched his first trophy in almost nine months on tour and his third overall at the Monte-Carlo Masters.

On the contrary, reigning Indian Wells champion Carlos Alcaraz is yet to begin his preparations for the upcoming French Open. He missed the Monte-Carlo Masters due to a shoulder problem and has now also withdrawn from the Barcelona Open. He will be hoping to get up to speed for the Madrid Open and defend his title at the Masters 1000 event.

Considering the tumultuous situation on the men's circuit and the emergence of Italian youngster Jannik Sinner, the French Open crown is all for grabs this year. The likes of Djokovic, Alcaraz, Ruud, Tsitsipas, and Sinner will all fancy their chances of making a deep run; not to mention the clay court anomaly Rafael Nadal waiting on the wings to express himself on court.

If Nadal shows positive signs with his fitness and enters the French Open with fruitful gametime under his belt, not a lot of people would bet their money against the Spaniard.

Such is the nature of the upcoming French Open 2024 in Paris. The dynamics could change again in the upcoming weeks, but in hindsight, Alcaraz, Djokovic, and Sinner will be among the top three players to do the business. An engrossing few weeks of tennis is on the cards as we await the Barcelona and the Madrid Open.

While the favorites did make a solid start on clay, dark horses such as Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune, and Grigor Dimitrov showcased their hunger to fight for the prize Monte-Carlo. Medvedev and Rune in particular were undone by some questionable calls from the chair umpire during crucial stages in their match. They demanded justice on court and it's clear that they won't take any prisoners in the upcoming weeks.

We might be on the cusp of witnessing the next-gen players finally coming into their own on the men's tour. Djokovic's trophyless run so far, Nadal's constant struggles with his fitness and players such as Sinner and Alcaraz setting the tone on court, are all signs of the beginning of a new era in men's tennis.

As for now, one word to describe the dynamics on tour is manic. It will be interesting to see if the veterans claw their way back into the top, or concede the onus from their juniors on tour. The Barcelona Open 2024 begins on April 15.

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Novak Djokovic to sit out for the Barcelona Open; Rafael Nadal, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas included in the main draw

Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters - Day Eight

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has not been included in the entry list of the Barcelona Open 2024. After a semifinal finish at the Monte-Carlo Masters, the Serb is expected to miss the ATP 500 event in Spain.

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal is expected to make his second appearance of the season when he takes to the courts in Barcelona. He has been putting in the hard yards to compete at full strength on tour and is in line to take on Flavio Cobolli in the first round. This will be their first meeting on the main tour.

Greek No. 1 Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud will also feature in Barcelona and continue their propitious start on clay. While Tsitsipas ended his trophy drought in Monte-Carlo, Ruud registered the biggest victory of his career by outsmarting Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.

The Norwegian is also a two-time finalist at the French Open. He will be hoping to continue his rich vein of form and build momentum in the upcoming weeks leading up to Paris.