Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are back in Paris eyeing yet another French Open title. The 2025 edition of the claycourt Slam gets underway on Sunday, with the Spaniard set to defend the crown that he won 12 months ago.
The field of challengers is set for Alcaraz, but some of the names stand out in terms of their historical results on clay. Here, we have listed the top-8 players best positioned to succeed at the French Open based on their performances over the last three years.
Note: The following formula was used to calculate the power rankings: (1x points earned in the 2025 claycourt swing + 0.5x points earned in the 2024 claycourt swing + 0.25x points earned in the 2023 claycourt swing). To avoid an undue advantage for seeded players receiving early-round byes in the ATP 250 and 500-level events, points are earned by reaching a tournament’s quarterfinals or further.
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8. Holger Rune
Holger Rune has always been a delight to watch on clay, with his nimble footwork and court coverage often leaving opponents scratching their heads.
He lifted his first title on the surface at the Bavaria Open in 2023, the year when he also made two Masters 1000 finals — Rome and Monte Carlo. He beat nearly everyone that there was to beat, Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Casper Ruud to name a few, at those two tournaments.
The Dane has played well at the French Open at times, reaching the quarterfinals in 2023. He will, however, know that he is capable of doing better. An injury scare in Madrid right after he had taken home the trophy in Barcelona beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final, has cast a shadow of doubt on his chances. However, if fully fit, Rune could well have a big result in Paris this year.
7. Novak Djokovic
No player from this year’s draw has played or won more matches at the French Open than Novak Djokovic. In fact, he could notch up an incredible 100th win at the tournament given his current 96-16 win-loss.
Even a cursory look through recent results would reveal that the Serb has not had the best of seasons in 2025 so far. In fact, he had no wins to show for on clay until he arrived in Geneva. The move could prove pivotal because he suddenly finds himself in a first final since Miami.
Djokovic’s big claim to the power rankings is largely his title-winning run to the French Open in 2023, but he had a decent season on clay in 2024 too with a quarterfinal showing in Paris and semifinals in Monte-Carlo and Geneva.
The thing though is, decent is not what fans have to come to expect from Djokovic. In that sense, he will have his work cut out. The field is younger, faster and stronger than ever and the 24-time Slam champion will have to dig deep for a shot at No. 25.
6. Jannik Sinner
While many would have put Jannik Sinner much higher in the power rankings, the truth is that he has simply not played enough matches on clay of late.
The doping suspension meant that he could play just one tournament on the red dirt, Rome, where to his credit, he did come very close to winning his biggest title on the surface.
Even before that though, the Italian has not always been in the conversation for the big clay trophies. The closest he has come has been semifinals, and there have been quite a few of those. He was in the last four at Paris, Madrid and Monte-Carlo last year as well as Monte-Carlo the year before that.
Sinner seems to just need that final push (and possibly a Plan B when facing Carlos Alcaraz on clay) at the end of a long and gruelling fortnight. He comes into the French Open well rested and that, as it did in Rome earlier this month, could pave way for something big.
5. Lorenzo Musetti
Coming into this year, Lorenzo Musetti had seen some sporadic success (an ATP 500 title and an Olympic bronze in Paris) on clay but nothing could have prepared his opponents for the way he has been playing of late.
The Italian’s forehand has turned into an absolute weapon on the surface and his movement keeps him in rallies longer than most others. He has gone 13-3 (second only to Carlos Alcaraz) during the European claycourt swing and its courtesy those two strengths.
The way he blitzed the field in Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Rome, only to lose steam in the latter stages of the tournaments is worrisome. That said, if he can work on match management and sustain form over the two weeks, Paris can be a rewarding experience this year.
4. Stefanos Tsitsipas
The 2025 season may not reflect it but Stefanos Tsitsipas has been one of the most successful players on clay in recent years. He had to his name nine quarterfinal or better showings at the surface spread across 2023 and 2024, and at big events no less.
His biggest title obviously came at the Masters 1000 in Monte-Carlo last year but he has also staged back-to-back runs to the final at Barcelona.
At the French Open, the Greek player has been a consistent performer, having made the quarterfinals both in 2023 and 2024. He has been in the conversation for the big trophies when playing on clay more often than not and while recent form has not been encouraging, he has the tools needed to flip the script.
3. Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev came awfully close to Grand Slam glory last year, leading Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final by two sets to one. The fact that his second at the big title came on clay was a testament to his evolution from the big-serving hardcourt specialist to a more well-rounded player.
Yes, the German still occasionally complains about the balls being too slow and the conditions being heavy but the truth of the matter is that he has become a better player on the red dirt in recent years.
He possesses the power to hit past opponents even on clay and titles in Rome last year and Munich this year are proof enough. He beat some players, Rafael Nadal, Holger Rune and Casper Ruud, much more fancied than him on clay en route to the final in Paris last year.
Zverev is ranked No. 4 in the ATP serve rating for the 2025 season with a score of 295 (Matteo Berrettini is No. 1 with 298.4). If he can continue to go from strength to strength and focus on things that he can do well instead of the hurdles in the form of balls and conditions, he might be in for another deep run at the French Open.
2. Casper Ruud
Casper Ruud has been in the reckoning for a Grand Slam title and the closest he has come has been in Paris. Given that his game, built around a topspin-heavy forehand, is tailor-made for clay, that is not surprising.
The Norwegian has played a lot of matches on clay in the last three years and the dividends have been rich. He was a finalist at the French Open in 2023, the year that he also won a title in Estoril and made the semifinals in Rome. The 2024 season was just as rewarding, with trophies to show for in Barcelona and Geneva. He found himself in yet another semifinal in Paris but could not get past Alexander Zverev.
This year, Ruud has again shown his best form in flashes. He was incredible in Madrid, where he claimed the title. He very nearly followed it up with a good run in Rome only to run into a zoned-in Jannik Sinner.
Nevertheless, Ruud is positioned well after yet another strong clay swing. He might not be “the pick” for the title given that he has always run into someone who hits bigger than him on the day, but a lucky break here and there with the draw or a slight purple patch like the one against Jack Draper in the Madrid final could see him charter new territory.
1. Carlos Alcaraz
There’s very little argument to be made against Carlos Alcaraz being the favorite to walk away with the trophy at any claycourt tournament that he enters. Starting from his French Open triumph last year to his now complete set of Masters 1000 claycourt titles, the Spaniard has done it all already on the red dirt.
This year, when it looked like Jannik Sinner may have just enough drive to pull one back from Alcaraz on clay in the Rome final, the Spaniard shut down the door yet with a thumping 7-6(5), 6-1 win.
In fact, the only blip he had on clay this year was when he lost the Barcelona final to Holger Rune and then pulled out of the Madrid Open with injury. Elsewhere, he was faultless.
Alcaraz does not have the biggest of serves, but the thing is, you don’t need one to succeed on clay especially. His return rating of 165.5 puts him at No. 2 only behind Alex De Minaur on the 2025 leaderboard and any player serving against him under pressure would tell you just the amount of pressure one can feel in that moment.
The defending champion will be the man to beat at this year’s tournament. He has already won a lot on the terre battue this year but could well have just enough in the tank to lift another trophy.
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