TheFrench Openkicked off Sunday in sizzling temperatures and without injured defending championCarlos Alcaraz, leaving many fans to wonder what if anything could stop ItalysJannik Sinnerfrom lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires this year.

Its a dream being here but a bittersweet one in the absence of Alcaraz, said Noah Kouchachi, a student from Cologne in Germany, holding a Get well soon, Carlitos banner in the colours of the Spanish flag.

The 23-year-old said he did not see anyone capable of denying Sinner, the world No.1, the one Grand Slam title he is still chasing.

The 2025 champion is sorely missed by many at Roland Garros.

Djoker (Novak Djokovic) is the only one who could pull it off, he added. But at his age and in this heat one has to be realistic.

Farewell to La Monf

Djokovic is one of just two men to beat Sinner this season, having ended hisAustralian Openreign in an epic five-set semi-final in January. But the Serbian, who turns 39 this week, has played and lost just one match on clay this year, and is struggling for form as he battles to hold back time in his quest for a record 25th major.

Another ageing darling of the crowds, FrancesGal Monfilswill hang up his racquet at the end of the season and is waving goodbye to his homeGrand Slam, where he takes on fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston in the first round on Monday.

The 39-year-old reached the last four in Paris in 2008, one of his two major semi-final appearances, and has won 13 ATP titles over a career spanning two decades. Despite never winning a major, his showmanship and entertaining tennis have made him a fan favourite at home and around the world.

Never mind the Grand Slams Gal has brought so much more than titles to the sport, said Roberta, a tennis fan from Italy, making her first trip to Roland Garros. His positive, relaxed and uncomplaining attitude has always been refreshing for the sport.

As Djokovic put it on the eve of the tournament, I dont know anyone that really doesnt like Gal.

Gal Monfils at the 2023 French Open.

La Monf has rarely disappointed his Paris fans, even if he's never matched the feat of Yannick Noah, the last Frenchman to win Roland Garros in 1983.

I was not strong enough to win a Grand Slam, Monfils told the crowd during a special tribute on the eve of the tournament. But I perhaps won more. I won a career that Im proud of.

Battling for Ukraine

Monfilss farewell event saw him team up with his wife Elina Svitolina to win a star-studded exhibition match that featured former Davis Cup teammatesJo-Wilfried TsongaandRichard Gasquet, adding a nostalgic touch to the occasion.

In a wide-open womens draw, Svitolina is among the contenders for the French Open title after triumphing last week at the Italian Open. The 31-year-old outlasted defending Roland Garros champion Coco Gauff in the final after battling wins over world No.2 Elena Rybakina and third-ranked Iga Swiatek.

Still chasing an elusive Grand Slam title, Svitolina has adopted her partners calm mindset, telling reporters shes at peace with her career and that its OK if I never win a Slam. As in recent editions, she knows she can count on the support of French fans starved of success, who have adopted her as one of their own.

Read moreLast French player standing: Roland Garros crowd adopts Ukraines Svitolina

Svitolina, who took a maternity break in 2022, has had to work her way back from a ranking that year of No. 236. Her return to the highest level has been a source of inspiration for many female players and for her war-torn home nation too.

She leads a group of seven Ukrainians in the top 100 of the womens rankings. They include world No.15 Marta Kostyuk, seen as another Roland Garros hopeful after her breakthrough win at the Madrid Open earlier this year.

Kostyuk who has not shaken hands with Russian players since the 2022 invasion enjoyed plenty of support during her first-round match on Sunday, a straight-sets win over Oksana Selekhmeteva, who was born in Russia but obtained Spanish nationality four days ago.

I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my life. This morning, 100 metres from my parents house, a missile fell, Kostyuk said on Court Simonne-Mathieu, dedicating her win to the people of Ukraine.

One of several spectators wrapped in the blue-and-yellow colours of Ukraine, 35-year-old Viktoria cheered from the stands: Last night, like every night, Russian bombs rained down on our cities, she said. When the girls play and win matches here at Roland-Garros, its a gift to our families and our people back home.

It's more than just a game for Ukrainians at the French Open.

Wawrinkas (in)famous shorts

Another non-French darling of Roland Garros, Stan Wawrinka is also safely through to the second round on his 21st appearance here but without even playing.

The 2015 champion, whose first-round opponent Arthur Fils has pulled out injured, is making his last appearance at the French Open, aged 41. It promises to be another emotional farewell on the Paris clay depriving the sport of one of the great one-handed backhands, which has long captivated the games purists.

I grew up on clay, grew up watching clay-court specialists, I grew up watching Roland Garros dreaming about maybe playing one day. It is part of me, the Swiss said in an interview with French Open organisers.

Wawrinkas stunning 2015 run, when he defeated Djokovic in the final after downingRoger Federerin the quarterfinals, is fondly remembered by tennis aficionados. So are the striking pink checkered shorts he wore that year, which are now at the nearby tennis museum.

Whether the unlikely fashion item makes a final bow on Court Philippe Chatrier remains to be seen.

One needs to ask the museum, Im not sure if they need to be cleaned beforehand, the three-time Grand Slam champion joked during his pre-tournament press conference. I had not planned that, Ill think about it.

Stan Wawrinka wears his iconic shorts at the 2015 French Open.

Rafas comeback

The last-minute exit of Arthur Fils, due to a hip injury, has deprived the French of their best chance of a home player making it to the second week this year.

Its baffling that we cant produce a Grand Slam candidate, said French Open habitu Alexandre, looking on as his children tested virtual-reality glasses at one of many stands tailored for youths.

And its infuriating when you see that Spain seems to produce a new one each year, he added.

Spains latest teenage sensation, Rafael Jodar, has rocketed this year from 165th in the world to 29th on the back of a string of good performances on clay, including winning his first tour-level title in Marrakesh in March.

Spain's Rafael Jodar at the Italian Open earlier this month.

The 19-year-old has gone on to make last-eight runs at both the Madrid and Italian Opens, as well as reaching the semi-finals in Barcelona, and is seen by many players and pundits as a future Grand Slam winner.

Spain always had incredible players, now you have one more, Sinner wrote on social media after defeating the new Rafa at the Madrid Open earlier this year.

But while he shares the same first name and nationality as 14-time French Open winnerRafael Nadal, the Spanish teen has told reporters that he plans to do things his way.

Being from the same country as Carlos (Alcaraz) and Rafa (Nadal), doesnt mean you are going to accomplish or achieve the same things that they have, Jodar cautioned ahead of his first-round clash with Aleksandar Kovacevic of the US.

The heat factor

While the young Jodar ultimately proved too green to really threaten Sinner in Madrid, sweltering conditions in Paris could yet produce an upset.

The French Opens iconic panama hats were out en force on Sunday as spectators sought shelter from the scorching sun and players slogged it out in temperatures hitting 31 degrees Celsius.

A spectator uses an umbrella to shield herself from the sun.

Spains Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia-Herzegovina battled for over four hours in gruelling conditions, with the Spaniard prevailing in five sets. Other matches were a lot shorter, with experts predicting that days of intense heat could make the clay courts faster than usual.

All the points I saw rarely exceeded four shots. The conditions will be very hot and very fast this year at Roland Garros, said veteran tennis reporter Jos Morgado.

Those conditions could prove a sterner challenge for Sinner than many of his opponents. The Italian suffered from cramps at the Australian Open in January when temperatures neared 40C, and he appeared to be sick during his tough battle with Russias Danil Medvedev in Rome earlier in May.

I dont see any player capable of beating Sinner this year, said Kouchachi, the fan from Cologne. But the heat could still beat him.

Originally published on France24