World No. 1 Jannik Sinner said he is ‘lucky to be in this position’ as he begins to launch his bid to claim a maiden French Open title on the back of completing a Career Golden Masters — winning all nine ATP Masters events, becoming only the second player to do so after Novak Djokovic — while his biggest rival Carlos Alcaraz has also pulled out of the tournament due to a wrist injury.

Sinner admitted it was a ‘special feeling’ to return to the red clay courts of Roland Garros, despite his last match at Court Philippe-Chatrier ending in an agonising 6-4, 7-6, 4-6, 6-7, 6-7 defeat to Alcaraz in the final.