New Delhi, May 24 : With defending champion Carlos Alcaraz forced to pull out of Roland Garros due to an ongoing injury, former Indian tennis player Somdev Devvarman believes the men's singles draw has now widely opened, making world No. 1 Jannik Sinner the "heavy favourite" and "the man to beat" in Paris. He also added that a Spaniard's absence opens up so many different opportunities for rising stars like Fonseca, Jodar and others.

Alcaraz, who showed remarkable physical and mental resilience to defeat Sinner in a gruelling five-set marathon final last year, has endured a bumpy clay-court preparation this season. His recent withdrawal from Roland Garros and the grass-court major Wimbledon has drastically shifted the momentum on the ATP Tour.

Speaking to IANS about the impact of Alcaraz's absence, Devvarman noted that Sinner was already operating on a different level, even when the Spaniard was healthy.

"I think, obviously, Alcaraz missing has kind of opened things up so much. You do also have to remember that while Alcaraz was present at Indian Wells and Miami, Sinner was still dominating those. The run he's had is jaw-dropping, really," Devvarman said.

Sinner's recent form has been nothing short of spectacular, with the Italian maintaining an unbeaten streak in Masters Series matches since his stint in Paris last year.

"Not losing a single Masters Series match since Paris. I mean, winning the Sunshine Double, winning Rome, Monte Carlo, Madrid. It's quite incredible. So, without a doubt, he is the man to beat. He's so dominant right now that it's hard to see anybody who actually has the belief that they can take him. So, he's heavy favourite in terms of the rivalry," he added.

While Alcaraz's injury setback is a massive blow to his season, ruling him out of consecutive Grand Slams, Devvarman points out that it paves the way for the next generation of tennis prodigies to stake their claim on the big stage.

"It seems like Alcaraz's injury opens the door up a lot. It also opens up opportunities for a lot of the young players coming through. That's the exciting part for me," the former India No. 1 observed.

Devvarman highlighted several rising stars who could potentially exploit the wide-open draw and make a deep run in the tournament.

"You see guys that are newcomers, like Rafael Jodar. You see the young guys in Learner Tien, Joao Fonseca, and Jakub Mensik. You kind of wonder if these guys start looking at this as an opportunity for them to make a run. It's just a very interesting place that it leaves us in because Sinner is by far the number one player in the world and the clear favourite for the tournament, but it also opens up so many different opportunities for so many different people," Devvarman concluded.

Roland Garros 2026 main draw started on Sunday with Sinner kicking off his campaign against Frenchman Clement Tabur on Monday.

Catch all the action of Roland Garros 2026 starting May 24, live on Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD and Sony LIV.

/IANS