TIM HENMAN PREVIEWS ROLAND-GARROS

Is there anyone that can stop Iga Swiatek at the moment?
Not at the moment. I was in Miami and I was in Rome last week, and I have watched nearly all her matches. I love the way she's playing. We always talk about the three aspects in tennis, technical, physical and mental. And in each area she is she is really maximising her play. Her strategy is very simple. She's got huge power off both wings off the forehand and the backhand side.

She's moving well, so it's difficult to put her under pressure, but if you drop the ball short, she is very good at going down the line on both wings. She's playing on her terms. She's the one that is dictating, she is in control of the outcome of the matches.

And then you add her physicality on the court which has improved. I think she's faster. When she has to she's defending better. Mentally, she's very focused and her concentration is not wavering during the matches and she's out there with with a clear plan. I don't know her team, but it seems that they have a very good bond, a very good setup. And when you win five tournaments in a row, 28 matches, you know that it's working very well.

Who do you think are the biggest favourites in the men’s tournament?
I think if Rafa's foot is healthy - given his record there - you have to make him a very slight favourite, but very close behind him I would have Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. I was in Miami where I saw three or four of Carlos’ matches from the side of the court and his level of play was incredible. It's his attitude and self-belief. His confidence is incredible. It's going to be a very, very interesting tournament. Right behind you've got the usual contenders. There is going to be a lot of good tennis on both the men's and the women's sides.

Can Carlos Alcaraz win Roland-Garros this year?
Yes. I really believe that Alcaraz can win the French Open. I watched him play in Miami, which was obviously on hard courts, but his movement, his speed, his balance, the power that he's generating with his groundstrokes, is incredible. His attitude on top is amazing. So for him to have won Barcelona and Madrid also, he goes into Roland Garros as one of the favourites in in my mind. Obviously, if Nadal’s foot is 100% then I still think he is the favourite, but I would put Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz as the second favourites.

What makes him so special at this young age?
Well, I think it's all elements of his game. Technically he's so sound, his forehand and backhand is so aggressive. His service improving all the time. I talked about his movement, his speed, his balance, his flexibility, but mentally is probably for me the most impressive because he's still so young. He's still very inexperienced, and he's playing in the biggest stadiums against the best players in the world. He's able to handle those situations. He’s obviously led by Juan Carlos Ferrero and he's looking in great shape.

Carlos said that he thinks he is ready to win a Grand Slam. Is he putting pressure on himself by saying this?
I don't think it's pressure. I think it's showing he has a lot of confidence in his ability. This year, he's won at every level. He's won at 500. He's won two Masters 1000 events. So the next step is obviously a Grand Slam. It might not happen at Roland Garros this year, but I'm sure he will win Roland Garros one year. He's very hungry for more success.

There is also another young talented player, Holger Rune from Denmark. What can we expect from him?
He's another very talented youngster who is really moving up the rankings, fast gaining experience, winning a title on clay. These young players are very good for each other because they motivate each other. This group of young players like Rune, Sinner, Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov push each other to work harder and improve their games and play better. There is another from our country who I think is going to be joining that group soon - Jack Draper. It's unfortunate that he couldn't play qualifying at Roland Garros. But I think in the next 12 months, you will see a lot more of him.

Tim Henman is an expert for Eurosport at Roland-Garros. Live coverage of Roland-Garros starts on Sunday 22 May on discovery+, Eurosport and Eurosport App.