Stories that are getting the most attention from our readers this week.
Paris, France: Rafael Nadal’s retirement leaves the French Open without its 14-time champion for the first time in two decades. Fans and rivals alike feel the void on Roland Garros’ clay. Novak Djokovic, now 38, is defending champion but also facing age and injury. Younger contenders like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Casper Ruud see a wide-open chance to claim the Coupe des Mousquetaires. Organizers plan tributes to Nadal, whose absence underscores a generational shift in men’s tennis. Bookmakers highlight unpredictability—someone new will lift the trophy.