Coco Gauff and Madison Keys disagree over which male player is going to win the French Open this year
American WTA stars Coco Gauff and Madison Keys, both competing at the 2025 French Open, have shared contrasting predictions for the men’s singles title in a promotional video ahead of the tournament, which began on May 25 at Roland Garros. Gauff, the No. 2 seed, and Keys, the No. 7 seed and 2025 Australian Open champion, were asked to name their picks for the men’s winner, revealing a divide in their expectations for the clay-court Grand Slam.
Madison Keys Backs Jannik Sinner
Keys, riding high after her Melbourne triumph, predicted world No. 1 Jannik Sinner would claim the title. “I think Jannik Sinner is going to win,” she stated, as reported by The Tennis Gazette. Her confidence in Sinner, who faces France’s Arthur Rinderknech in the first round, stems from his stellar 2025 form, including a 12-1 record and a final run at the Italian Open, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz (7-6(5), 6-1). Sinner’s 2024 Australian and US Open titles, combined with his 2-16 record against top rivals like Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, make him a strong favorite, despite a three-month doping ban earlier this year.
Coco Gauff Picks Jakub Mensik as Dark Horse
Gauff, who started her campaign against Australia’s Olivia Gadecki, took a bold stance by naming 19-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik as her “dark horse” pick. “Dark Horse, I’ll go with [Jakub] Mensik. I think he’s a good competitor,” she said. Mensik, ranked No. 64, has shown promise with a third-round run at the 2024 US Open and a 2025 Qatar Open final, but his 2-2 clay record this year and lack of a main-draw win at Roland Garros make Gauff’s choice a long shot. Her pick reflects her tendency to highlight emerging talent, as noted by @TennisActu on X: “Coco loves spotlighting young guns like Mensik.” However, when pressed for a favorite, Gauff leaned toward defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, citing his Rome title and 2024 French Open win: “I guess I would have to go with Carlos. The fact that he won in Rome and he’s defending champion here.”
Context and Tournament Dynamics
The men’s draw is highly competitive, with Alcaraz (No. 2 seed), Sinner, and No. 6 seed Novak Djokovic—who won Geneva and seeks a 25th Grand Slam—as top contenders. Posts on X, like @ChrisHammer180, suggest a Sinner-Alcaraz final is likely, aligning with Keys’ pick but challenging Gauff’s Mensik outlier. Gauff’s and Keys’ predictions add intrigue to a tournament already buzzing with narratives, from Sinner’s crowd scrutiny to Djokovic’s emotional farewell to Rafael Nadal. Their American perspective also ties to other U.S. players like Jessica Pegula, who picked Britain’s Jack Draper as her dark horse, per ProFootballNetwork.
Connections to French Open Broader Narratives
The disagreement mirrors the unpredictability of the 2025 French Open, where upsets and breakthroughs are possible, as seen in Emma Raducanu’s win over Wang Xinyu and Elena Rybakina’s scare against Julia Riera. Off the court, parallels exist with Jack Grealish’s transfer speculation and Luke Littler’s darts milestone chase, highlighting the pressure on young athletes like Gauff and Keys to predict and perform under scrutiny. As Gauff faces Gadecki and Keys takes on Daria Saville, their men’s title picks—Sinner’s proven dominance versus Mensik’s potential—reflect their differing outlooks on a wide-open tournament.
