Djokovic to face Kovacevic in Roland Garros opener

PARIS - Serbia's top-ranked male tennis player Novak Djokovic was on Thursday drawn to play American Aleksandar Kovacevic in the first round of Roland Garros and could face current world number one Carlos Alcaraz as early as in the semi-finals.

He will potentially face Russian Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals and Daniil Medvedev in the final.

First seed Alcaraz will play a qualifier in the opening round and potentially face Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals.

In the first round, Serbia's Laslo Djere will face Rublev, Dusan Lajovic will play China's Zhizhen Zhang, with Filip Krajinovic to face American Francis Tiafoe and Miomir Kecmanovic to play a qualifier.

In the absence of Spaniard Rafael Nadal, two-time champion Djokovic and Alcaraz are the top favourites to win the tournament.