Who is playing 2023 French Open? Will Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Nick Kyrgios play?
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Updated 22/05/2023 at 10:00 GMT
Who's playing at the 2023 French Open? Will Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Jack Draper, Nick Kyrgios, Belinda Bencic, and Simona Halep play? The second Grand Slam of the season starts in Paris on May 28 and there are injury doubts over several of the leading players. Nadal is defending men's champion but hasn't played since the Australian Open.
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The 2023 French Open is just a week away and there remains uncertainty over whether some of the biggest names in tennis will be playing the Grand Slam.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal will miss the tournament as he continues to recover from injury that has kept him out since the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic has battled an injury over the last month while Nick Kyrgios hasn’t played this year after undergoing surgery. On the women’s side, Emma Raducanu is set to miss out following surgery while Belinda Bencic is a doubt.
We round up the latest news on who is playing the French Open and who will be missing out…
Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal will not be back to defend his title as he continues to recover from injury.
Nadal, 36, hasn't played since the Australian Open in January and has said it is "impossible" for him to return in Paris.
"Today I'm still in a position that I am not able to feel myself ready to compete at the standards that I need to be to play a Roland-Garros," Nadal said at press conference.
"I am not the guy that is going to be at Roland-Garros and just try to be there and put myself in a position that I don't like to be [in]."
It will be the first time since 2004 that the 14-time champion has missed the French Open.
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic has not had the best clay season - but how much will that count for in Paris?
The two-time French Open champion lost early in Monte Carlo and Bosnia-Herzegovina before withdrawing from Madrid and then making the Rome quarter-finals.
But he looks to be healthy ahead of the French Open and has said he still likes his "chances against anybody" ahead of the Grand Slam.
“I know I can always play better,” said Djokovic after losing at the Italian Open.
“Definitely am looking forward to working on various aspects of my game, of my body, hopefully getting myself in 100 percent shape. That's the goal.
“I always like my chances in Grand Slams against anybody on any surface, best of five. Let's see how it goes.”
Iga Swiatek
Defending women's champion Iga Swiatek comes into the French Open with a slight injury worry after retiring from her Italian Open quarter-final against Elena Rybakina with a thigh issue.
However, Swiatek said afterwards that it "shouldn't be anything serious" and was "pretty positive" that she will return soon.
She later added on social media: "A couple of days off for sure. And booking my flight to Paris, so fingers crossed, please."
Swiatek is a two-time champion at the French Open and will be a strong favourite to win again if she is healthy.
Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios is yet to play this season after missing the Australian swing due to injury and then undergoing knee surgery.
He will not be returning to the French Open for the first time since 2017 as he continues his recovery.
Kyrgios will be hoping to be back for the grass season as he looks to follow up his run to the Wimbledon final last year.
Andy Murray
Andy Murray made the French Open semi-finals for four years in a row from 2014-2017, and was runner-up in 2016.
However, due to injuries he has only played once since 2017, and he will not be back this year.
Murray had said he intended to play the Grand Slam as it might be his last opportunity to do so, but he has now withdrawn and will likely start preparation for the grass season.
Murray is currently ranked at No. 41 in the world and will have his sights on getting into the top 32 to be seeded for Wimbledon.
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Highlights: Fognini beats Murray in three sets in Rome first round
Matteo Berrettini
Matteo Berrettini has had a difficult year.
He was knocked out of the Australian Open in the first round by Andy Murray and then retired in the quarter-finals of his next tournament in Mexico.
At Indian Wells and Miami he lost in the opening round before pulling out of the Monte Carlo Masters ahead of his last-16 match with Holger Rune due to an abdominal injury.
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Matteo Berrettini has had a tough season
Image credit: Getty Images
“I don't know where to start...I was finally finding my level and getting back to where I wanted to be...this is a difficult one," he said in Monte Carlo.
Berrettini withdraw from his home event in Rome, saying he needed “at least a week before I can start training physically again”. It is not known if he will be fit for the French Open.
Jack Draper
It's been an up-and-down season for Jack Draper so far.
The 21-year-old made the semi-finals in Adelaide at the start of the year and also reached the last 16 at Indian Wells. But he has only played five tournaments due to injuries and hasn't been on court since April 11.
"It’s been tough to have to withdraw from many tournaments so far this year," he wrote on Twitter after pulling out of the Italian Open.
"I’m working hard to come back stronger and I’m looking forward to competing very soon!"
Draper is playing in Lyon in the week before the French Open so looks set for a first main-draw appearance at the clay Grand Slam.
Emma Raducanu
British No. 1 Emma Raducanu will not be at the French Open after undergoing surgery on her hands and ankle.
Raducanu expects to be out for a “few months” which means she will not only miss the French Open, but also Wimbledon.
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Raducanu played just one match on clay this season – losing in the first round in Stuttgart to Jelena Ostapenko – and has now dropped out of the top 100 for the first time since her shock US Open win in 2021.
She made the second round on her French Open debut last year.
Venus Wiliams
While younger sister Serena has retired and is set to welcome a second child, Venus Williams is still on tour.
However, she hasn't played since the season-opening event in Auckland, where she lost in the second round.
The 42-year-old suffered a hamstring injury during defeat at the tournament and it is not known when she will be back.
Now ranked No. 695 in the world, Williams' best result at the French Open was when she made the final in 2002, losing to Serena. She has lost in the first round in her last four appearances in Paris.
Belinda Bencic
Belinda Bencic made a positive start to the clay season as she was runner-up to Ons Jabeur in Charleston. However, she then pulled out of Madrid and Rome due to a hip problem.
"I have some discomfort in my hip which I struggled with during the US swing as well and need to take a little rest and recover to be back at 100% for Roland Garros," Bencic wrote.
"I will miss both tournaments dearly but will be back in a few weeks and can't wait to be back competing soon and continuing in great form."
Bencic has not made it past the third round in six appearances in Paris.
Simona Halep
Former French Open champion Simona Halep is set to miss the Grand Slam this year.
Halep, who has said that she will “fight for the truth”, has been waiting for an independent tribunal hearing.
Ahead of the French Open she has been charged with a further anti-doping breach, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said in a statement.
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