Former world number one and four-time Grand Slam champion, American Jim Courier, has commented on the participation of many leading tennis players in tournaments held the week before the French Open.
“For Sinner, it`s guaranteed income. Djokovic needs match practice as he hasn`t played recently, aiming to replicate his approach from previous years by getting a couple of matches in before heading to Paris. But honestly, I`m truly shocked to see some of the names participating,” Courier said on Tennis Channel. “Let`s be clear: some of these players have accepted guaranteed appearance fees worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars just to show up and play, regardless of winning a match. There`s clearly a commercial incentive involved. However, serious contenders focused on winning the French Open don`t typically play these events. No appearance fee can match the prize money for winning Roland Garros. Players need to be cautious about seeking `easy wins` in these lead-up events, as there`s a risk it could negatively impact their prospects at Roland Garros.”
World No. 1 Italian Jannik Sinner, his compatriot Lorenzo Musetti, Denmark`s Holger Rune, and Russia`s Andrey Rublev are entered in the ATP 500 tournament in Hamburg (Germany) scheduled for May 18-24, immediately preceding Roland Garros. The ATP 250 tournament in Geneva (Switzerland) is held during the same period, featuring 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, world No. 7 Casper Ruud, and American Taylor Fritz, ranked ninth in the ATP rankings. The main draw matches of Roland Garros begin on May 25 and conclude on June 8.
Marcus Prine