Djokovic & Swiatek handed nightmare French Open draws, Sabalenka faces Bouzas Maneiro opener

Djokovic and Swiatek have been handed a tough draw
Djokovic and Swiatek have been handed a tough drawJavier Garcia / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia

Four-time winner Iga Swiatek and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic have been handed nightmare draws at the French Open, while women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka begins her campaign to win a maiden French Open against the tricky Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Sabalenka faces a last-16 clash with four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, while a possible rematch of last year's final defeat to Coco Gauff is on the cards in the semi-finals.

Defending champion Gauff takes on fellow American Taylor Townsend, with Anastasia Potapova a potential banana skin in the third round.

Sabalenka is set to face Bouzas Maneiro in the first round
Sabalenka is set to face Bouzas Maneiro in the first roundPSNEWZ / Sipa Press / Profimedia

Swiatek has been handed an extremely tough draw. Emerson Jones is a relatively straightforward opening match, but her bogey opponent, Jelena Ostapenko, could await in the third round. Ostapenko leads that head-to-head 6-0.

Meanwhile, the Pole could face the in-form Ukrainian duo, Marta Kostuk and Elina Svitolina, in the fourth round and quarter-final, respectively.

Kostyuk won the WTA 1000 event in Madrid at the start of May, while Svitolina clinched her third Rome title just under a week ago after defeating Elena Rybakina, Swiatek and Gauff on her way to the trophy.

Second seed Rybakina, who has never made it past the quarters in Paris, is in Swiatek's half and begins against Veronika Erjavec. Jasmine Paolini is a potential last 16 opponent, while Mirra Andreeeva would be her quarter-final match-up.

Close friends Iva Jovic, 18, and Alexandra Eala, 20, will meet in one of the more fascinating first-round meetings 

On the men's side, 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who is eyeing a record-breaking 25th title, will have a huge task on his hands.

He comes up against huge-serving home favourite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in an incredibly awkward opener, with Joao Fonseca a third-round opponent and two-time finalist Casper Ruud in the fourth round.

He is on the opposite side of the draw to Jannik Sinner, however, with Alexander Zverev, the top seed, in his half.

Zverev has Taylor Fritz in his quarter once again and opens against Benjamin Bonzi.

World number one Sinner, who is the overwhelming favourite to win the title and complete the Career Grand Slam, begins against Clement Tabur.

Former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini may be a third-round opponent, while Ben Shelton could await in the quarter-finals, before a semi-final meeting with either Felix Auger-Aliassime or Daniil Medvedev.

Gael Monfils, who is taking part in his final French Open, faces fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston. Another huge fan favourite, Arthur Fils, gets his campaign underway against another retiring player, Stanislas Wawrinka. Both matches are sure to garner an incredible atmosphere.