“I’m going to try to do my best and that’s all I’m thinking about,” Alcaraz said.
“I’m not the favourite, but of course I can say I’m one of them. I don’t have a lot of pressure, as I said before I just enjoy myself and try not to think about the pressure.
Alex De Minaur could face two-time French Open finalist Dominic Thiem in the third round in Paris.Credit: Getty Images
“I come here to enjoy, to show my best tennis. And of course I’ll try to do a good result, but it’s not the only thing I think about.”
Alcaraz could face some potentially challenging duels on his way to a possible semi-final against world No.3 Djokovic, with 2021 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas, Lorenzo Musetti and Canadian 10th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the top quarter of the draw.
Australian wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis starts against British 20th seed Dan Evans, with former champion Stan Wawrinka possibly waiting in round two for the winner.
Jason Kubler and former French Open junior boys’ champion Alexei Popyrin will both play qualifiers in the first round.
Wildcard Kimberly Birrell is the only Australian woman in the field at Roland Garros before qualifying ends.Credit: Getty
With a win, Kubler would meet either Auger-Aliassime or Italian veteran Fabio Fognini in the second round.
US 12th seed Frances Tiafoe would be Popyrin’s likely second-round opponent.
Kim Birrell, the only Australian confirmed in the women’s singles following Ajla Tomljanovic’s official withdrawal hours before Thursday’s draw with a knee injury, will play French wildcard Leolia Jeanjean in the first round.
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Tomljanovic had been clinging to the hope of a return at Roland Garros but was never realistically going to make it, having not played since last year’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November.
Her scratching means Australia didn’t have a direct entrant in the women’s singles for the first time in the 55-year era of professional tennis.
Like Kokkinakis, Birrell was awarded a reciprocal wildcard in Tennis Australia’s arrangement with the French tennis federation.
If Birrell wins her first overseas grand slam match, the 25-year-old Gold Coaster could play Swiss Olympic champion Belinda Bencic in round two.
Storm Hunter and Jaimee Fourlis are hoping to boost the depleted women’s stocks, both one qualifying win away from making the main draw.
Hunter, largely a doubles specialist, plays American teenager Ashlyn Krueger in the final round of qualifying, with Fourlis up against French home favourite Fiona Ferro.
AAP, Reuters
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