Paris –

Carlos Alcaraz will begin his French Open title defense against Kei Nishikori while three-time defending women's champion Iga Swiatek faces a difficult route to a fourth successive title at Roland Garros after a yearlong trophy drought.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner will take on French hope Arthur Rinderknech in his first Grand Slam match since serving a three-month doping ban.

Alcaraz and Sinner have combined to win each of the last five men's Grand Slam titles and are the favorites again in Paris.

"The confidence is really high right now," Alcaraz said Thursday. "I've been playing great matches, I've got great wins in this clay season. I'm excited."

The 22-year-old has won in Monte Carlo and Rome this season. He also reached the final in Barcelona.

Swiatek will face Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova in the first round before a possible meeting with Britain's Emma Raducanu, the 2021 U.S. Open winner, who is making just her second visit to Paris.

The women's bracket will also feature an eye-catching first-round matchup as Naomi Osaka faces No. 10 seed Paula Badosa, while eighth seed Zheng takes on former finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Novak Djokovic, who had not won a clay court match this season before this week, starts his latest quest for a record-setting 25th Grand Slam title against American Mackenzie McDonald.

Seeded sixth, Djokovic could have faced either Alcaraz or Sinner in the quarterfinals, but Thursday's draw spared him from that prospect.

Instead, he could run into 2024 runner-up Alexander Zverev in the last eight before a potential semifinal against Sinner. Alcaraz is on the other side of the draw.

Zverev opens against U.S. teenager Learner Tien.

Alcaraz could play Fabian Marozsan or Luca Nardi in the second round, with towering Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard a possible third-round opponent.

The Spaniard is on course to meet 2021 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas or Ben Shelton in the last 16. Two-time finalist Casper Ruud is seeded to face him in the quarterfinals.

In-form Lorenzo Musetti and No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz are also on that side of the draw.

Should Sinner get past the 72nd-ranked Rinderknech, he could go up against Richard Gasquet in what is the 38-year-old Frenchman's final tournament before retirement.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina potentially lurks in the third round with Andrey Rublev and Arthur Fils his possible rivals in the last 16.

Sinner could meet No. 5 seed Jack Draper or Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals ahead of what would be a blockbuster clash with Djokovic.

Djokovic, a three-time French Open winner, would likely have to get beyond the likes of Denis Shapovalov and Daniil Medvedev to make another deep run.

The 38-year-old is appearing at Roland Garros for the 20th time. He has reached the quarterfinals or beyond at every edition of the French Open since 2010.

Swiatek will need to rediscover her best form to retain the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen following a troubled past 12 months.

The Pole, who has dropped to fifth in the world, is in the same quarter as last year's finalist Jasmine Paolini, former champion Jelena Ostapenko and 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina.

Elina Svitolina, Belinda Bencic, Donna Vekic and Marta Kostyuk also feature alongside Swiatek in a loaded section.

"Every year is different," said Swiatek, who has not won a title since last year's French Open.

"This season has had more ups and downs than the years before, but I know my game is there. I just need to figure out how to use it in the most important moments."

Swiatek, a four-time winner, is in the same half of the draw as top seed Aryna Sabalenka, who gets under way against Kamilla Rakhimova from Russia.

Zheng Qinwen, who won Olympic gold at Roland Garros last August, could await Sabalenka in the last eight.

Second-ranked Coco Gauff plays Australian Olivia Gadecki in the first round and is one of four seeded Americans in the bottom quarter of the women's draw.

The 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, attempting to become the youngest Grand Slam singles champion since compatriot Maria Sharapova in 2004, starts against Cristina Bucsa of Spain.