Tennis : French Open (23rd May to 5th June)

[edtkh]

With the year's second Grand Slam around the corner, I thought it's high time to get a thread underway for Roland Garros to facilitate tennis discussions pertaining to this event. ;) To kick things off, here's a little preview from me - best prices are all in brackets. For the ladies' singles, I can't see past Justine Henin-Hardenne (2.78 @ Pinnacle) for the title as she's simply in scintillating form at the moment and seems to have laid the ghost of her injuries and illnesses to rest. I've said all along the only other current WTA player I see in her league is an in-form Serena Williams(9.60 @ Betfair) and on the evidence of what I've seen of Serena over the last few tournaments(most recently the Italian Masters in Rome where she crashed out to Schiavone in straight sets), she looks a long way off. Having said that, I must stress she's someone you could never ever write off completely as she always just seems to come good in time for the Slams - every bit like what happened at the Aussie Open this year. Kim Clijsters, Mauresmo, Davenport and the lot of Russians may pose a threat on other surfaces, but most of this lot simply aren't good enough(for whatever reasons from being inapt on clay to having a frail mental frame of mind) on clay to go the full distance IMO. In a nutshell, I feel Henin-Hardenne will still have too much on current form not to win her second Roland Garros even if she's required to combat a rejuvenated Serena Williams at some stage. ;) The men's singles is certainly one of the most open in years and I suppose that could only be good for the neutral observer. Having said that, it's inevitable the serious contenders for the title would revolve around a few obvious choices. Roger Federer (3.45 @ Betfair) has still got to be my favourite for the title given the relentless mood he's been in all year. On his day, his all round game - notwithstanding claycourt tennis - is just sublime and is a class above everyone else bar none. With that sort of weapon in his arsenal, you've just got to feel he's one of those players who will have a very serious chance at everything he competes in even if history at the French Open does not favour him. If he's ever going to win Roland Garros, this must be his best chance yet given the lack of a serious odds-on contender this year and the roll on which he's coming into the tournament. Rafael Nadal(4.3 @ Betfair), while doubtless has been very impressive on clay this season and is proving to be the one to beat just as Ferrero and Coria were in 2003 and 2004 respectively coming into Roland Garros, is still not experienced enough for me to consider him a serious contender to go the full distance. One reservation I have, in particular, is his ability to last 7 best-of-five(which is just what he'd need to do to go all the way) matches, given his fatigue and fitness in the latter stages of such draining marathon matches have always got the better of him. Don't get me wrong, his time will come, but I just feel this year's French Open is a tad too early for him to make his mark - however, I must stress a quarter or semi-final appearance would be reasonable and well within his reach provided he gets a favourable draw. Obviously, Guillermo Coria(5.80 @ Betfair) is another one to look out for having promised so much, but delivered so little down the years. You can't help but feel perhaps, his best chance has passed him by last year and if he doesn't lay that ghost to rest and win a Grand Slam, which his talent has so richly promised, soon he could well become another of the also-rans of the game never to have stamped his mark on the game. Having said that, however, I can't see him having the mettle to nick the title this year given the imperious form the other top contenders are in, although I must admit he's well capable of causing the mother of all upsets on his day and he's definitely one the others will have to look out for if they're to win the French Open. Looking further afield, Juan Carlos Ferrero(17.5 @ Betfair) may be worth a little dabble as well as I feel he has got as good a chance as any of the 3 I've mentioned previously so long as he can string together his best game for the 7 matches - obviously, those days are look to be over for him ever since his series of injuries and illnesses over the last year, but I feel what he has over the other contenders at the French Open is his experience. Besides being a winner in 2003, he'd also made the semi-finals in 4 consecutive years at Roland Garros from 2000-2003 and that could give him an edge over the others who, in all probability, will be in unchartered territory. Gustavo Kuerten(270 @ Betfair) , a three-time French Open winner, may well have seen better days and this could well prove to be nothing more than a swansong for the former World no.1, but he's clearly got a decent enough game on clay to see him last 3 rounds at the tournament provided he avoids the top 3-4 players. I know his recent performances on the comeback trail in ATP events have been erratic to say the least, but it's pretty evident he has shown he still has the little glimpses of Brazilian magic which first endeared him to us when he won his first French Open as a raw teenager in 1997. Knowing the significance and emotional attachment he has for the tournament, however, it wouldn't really surprise me too much if he could go that bit further as he's always come good for this tournament however bad his form may be leading up to it - afterall, this was the same chap who seemed to be heading nowhere last year until his defeat of Federer at the Roland Garros threw him right back into the limelight. Lastly, for interest's sake, I may also throw in a penny or two on Olivier Rochus (1000 @ Betfair) and Juan Monaco (1000 @ Betfair). While this pair have little pedigree for the French Open, there's little doubt both of them have really come on a great deal over the last year and should this year's tournament throw up another surprise like Verkerk in 2003, you feel both Rochus and Monaco have got to stand every chance of being the ones to be the giantkillers. As always, not a serious proposition, but you never know what life has in store for you. ;) Cheers & Good Luck! :ok More previews, discussions to come when the draw for the final rounds have been made and when the actual tournament finally gets underway... :hope

[rcgills]

Re: Tennis : French Open (23rd May to 5th June) Well Serena Williams has pulled out of the event, so it's looking even better for Justine Henin-Hardenne now. The draws have been made, they are on www.rolandgarros.com Interesting draw for Nadal, potentially faces Gasquet in the 3rd round, Gaudio in the QF and Federer in the SF.