This year's French Open is going to feel rather strange to begin with.

It is the first Roland Garros since Rafael Nadal - the man who won 14 singles titles and is synonymous with the tournament - retired.

His abdication means there is a chance for someone to make a sustained attempt at becoming the new 'King of Clay'.

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz has long been the heir apparent and goes into this year's event as the slight favourite.

The 22-year-old defending champion is a natural clay-courter with a 15-1 win-loss record on the surface this year - and, perhaps crucially, more match practice than rival Jannik Sinner.

Italy's Sinner is the other standout candidate.

The world number one has dominated over the past 18 months but only recently returned from a three-month doping ban.

Sinner dropped just one set in reaching the Italian Open final, including a ruthless quarter-final thrashing of two-time French Open runner-up Casper Ruud.

But Sinner was put in check by world number two Alcaraz in the final, with many expecting a repeat of it in the Paris showpiece on 8 June.

If it isn't a battle royale between Alcaraz and Sinner then it is difficult to look beyond the other leading seeds.

Novak Djokovic is bidding again for a standalone record 25th Grand Slam singles title but the Serb great, who turned 38 on Thursday, has looked short of motivation recently.

However, a welcome run to the Geneva final could be the boost the three-time Paris champion needs.

British number one Jack Draper demonstrated his clay-court credentials, reaching the Madrid final and Rome quarter-finals - suggesting he is capable of reaching at least the fourth round for the third successive major.

Norwegian seventh seed Ruud, who lost to Nadal and Djokovic in the 2022 and 2023 finals, reiterated his clay-court expertise by beating Draper to win the Madrid title.

And don't forget German third seed and last year's runner-up Alexander Zverev.

Zverev has reached at least the semi-finals in the past four editions in Paris and is regaining confidence after again falling short of a first Grand Slam title in January.

Italy's Lorenzo Musetti - an elegant player with a one-handed backhand - also has the natural ability on clay to mount a challenge.

Along with Draper, Jacob Fearnley and Cameron Norrie have direct entry into the main draw.

Fearnley, 23, will make his French Open debut after a stunning rise over the past year for the former Texas Christian University student.

Ranked 54th in the world after less than a year as a professional, he played his first ATP Tour clay match in April and has won eight of his 13 matches since.

Former world number eight Norrie, by contrast, has dropped down the rankings, but had a welcome run to the Geneva Open semi-finals in the days before Roland Garros.

In doubles, Britain's Henry Patten and Finn partner Harri Heliovaara are aiming for their third Grand Slam title together in 12 months, having won Wimbledon and the Australian Open.

Two all-British pairs - Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, and Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski - are also in the draw, alongside Jamie Murray and American Rajeev Ram.

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid will compete in the wheelchair singles and doubles, with Andy Lapthorne in the quad singles.