Alcaraz and Djokovic set for clash in Paris semis

NOVAK DJOKOVIC and world No1 Carlos Alcaraz are on course to meet in the French Open semi-finals after the pair were yesterday placed in the same half of the draw. Djokovic is seeded third at Roland Garros as he goes for a record 23rd men’s major singles title at a tournament without 14-time winner Rafael Nadal for the first time since 2004.

The serb has drawn American world No 114 Aleksandar Kovacevic in the first round. Us Open champion Alcaraz will face a qualifier in a seemingly smooth section of the draw, which was conducted by France rugby star Antoine Dupont. Cameron Norrie, who advanced to the Lyon Open semi-finals yesterday with a win over sixth seed sebastian Baez, is one of just three British players in the singles draw. The British No1 will play France’s Benoit Paire. Dan evans starts against Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis, and Jack Draper will make his main-draw debut at Roland Garros against Tomas Martin etcheverry of Argentina. Andy Murray withdrew last week to focus on the grass-court season. Russia’s Daniil Medvedev is seeded second and begins against a qualifier. There is no British interest in the women’s singles after six players lost in qualifying, making this the first time the nation has not been represented in a main draw of a Grand slam since the 2009 Us Open. emma Raducanu is not playing after operations on both wrists and an ankle.

Last year’s winner and top seed iga swiatek will open her title defence against world No67 Cristina Bucsa, and Belarusian Aryna sabalenka, who won the Australian Open in January, starts her bid for back-to-back majors against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. wimbledon winner and No 4 seed elena Rybakina is in the same half as swiatek. The tournament begins on sunday.