Key keywords: French Open 2024, Roland Garros experts' predictions, men's singles Grand Slam winner, women's singles champion picks, clay court tennis odds, Rafael Nadal farewell tournament, Iga Swiatek title defense, Carlos Alcaraz clay dominance Ahead of the 2024 Roland Garros main draw launch on May 26, leading tennis analysts, former Grand Slam champions, and ATP/WTA tour insiders have released their annual expert picks, offering clear insight into the most likely contenders for both men’s and women’s singles crowns at the second Grand Slam of the year. For the men’s draw, a panel of 15 tennis experts from outlets including ESPN, Tennis Channel, and the ATP official media team cast their votes, with 8 selecting 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz as their top pick. The Spanish youngster has dominated the 2024 clay court season, taking home titles at the Monte-Carlo Masters and Madrid Open, and posting a 23-1 win-loss record on the surface this year. Experts highlighted his explosive baseline power, exceptional movement on clay, and past wins over both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal on the surface as key advantages. Three experts picked defending champion Novak Djokovic, noting the 24-time Grand Slam winner’s unmatched big-match temperament even as he recovers from a minor knee injury that sidelined him for part of the spring clay swing. Two experts picked Italian star Jannik Sinner, who has translated his hard-court success to clay this year with a runner-up finish in Rome. Notably, the remaining two votes went to 14-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal, who is competing in his final French Open before retirement; experts noted his unparalleled legacy on the Paris clay and raucous home crowd support could carry him past higher-ranked opponents deep into the draw. On the women’s side, 12 out of 14 experts picked 3-time defending champion Iga Swiatek to claim her fourth Roland Garros title. The Polish star has posted a 47-2 win-loss record on clay since the start of 2022, and her exceptional sliding, baseline consistency, and mental toughness make her nearly unbeatable on the surface. Two experts selected Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 2 who won her first clay court Masters 1000 title in Madrid this year and pushed Swiatek to three sets in two previous clay meetings this season. Experts also noted dark horse contenders including 20-year-old American Coco Gauff, who reached the 2022 Roland Garros final, and Elena Rybakina, whose powerful serve and flat groundstrokes can disrupt even the most solid clay court players. Pre-tournament betting odds align almost exactly with the expert picks, with Alcaraz listed at +125 to win the men’s title, and Swiatek at -150 to win the women’s crown as of opening day.