Mats Wilander rates Novak Djokovic as a narrow favourite ahead of Rafael Nadal to win the French Open.
Nadal is aiming to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires for the 13th time and fourth year in a row but seven-time grand slam champion Wilander believes he has his work cut out this year.
With the calendar rejigged because of the coronavirus pandemic, the French Open will take place in the autumn rather than the spring, meaning heavier conditions and the use of floodlights for the first time.
"He's so good and he's so strong mentally when he decides to be. Obviously he could have won the US Open but these things happen. And I think this has given him somewhat of an identity, which he hasn't really had compared to Rafa, who's the absolute warrior, and Roger (Federer), who's this classic, elegant, fans' favourite wherever he plays.
"Novak might be the best player of all time and now we have an identity – he's a little bit the bad boy. I think he's getting a lot of respect for caring as much as he does. I think it helps him."
Djokovic's elimination allowed Dominic Thiem to win his first grand slam final, winning a nerve-laden final against Alexander Zverev.
Clay is Thiem's best surface and he has reached the final at Roland Garros for the last two years.
The Austrian came back from two sets to love down to defeat Zverev in New York in a match eventually decided by a tortuous final-set tie-break, and he admitted afterwards that the worry of losing a fourth slam final had weighed heavily on him.
Wilander would not be surprised to see Thiem make it back-to-back majors, saying: "If he can forget the final and just take the win and tell himself: 'I don't know what happened that day but I played great for six matches, I fought hard in the final and I managed to bring home the trophy'.
"I think it's Novak, Rafa and Dominic who are the three favourites – I would put Novak slightly ahead of the other two. But this is perfect conditions for Thiem. He can hit through a heavy clay court. I think he's going to be extremely dangerous."
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