The second Grand slam of the year takes center stage in France in a couple of hours away. Newfanzone.com takes a look at the chances of the big boys,possible upsets and how it will all go down I’m Roland Garros.
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MEN’S PREVIEW
The man of the moment on clay Novak Djokovic goes into Roland Garros as the favorite to win it for the first time in his career.
This is the Serb French Open title to lose as he is playing at a different level now defeating players like Nadal, Federer, Murray and Nishikori in the process.
He is on a 22 match unbeaten streak and 10-0 on clay. If form is anything to go by ,then Novak Djokovic will take home French Open title.
King of clay Rafael Nadal won’t have a shortage of challengers this year as he has not won any European ATP clay court title in the lead up to the French Open for the first time in ten years.
Nadal defeated Djokovic in last year pulsating final but this time he doesn’t look like he might make it into Roland Garros final but never bet against the Madrid born star.
Roger Federer is another player to always look out for in big competitions such as Grand Slam tournaments. The second seed almost won the Rome Masters before succumbing to eventual winner Novak Djokovic in the final. The world No.2 will not be meeting either of Djokovic and Nadal before the final which means the Swiss Master might get to the final once again and might nick the second French Open title of his career.
Newly Married British No. 1 Andy Murray also looks favorite for the Roland Garros title as the Scott has performed well in the Masters competition leading into the competition in Paris. Murray has already defeated earlier this month in Madrid and could defeat any one who underestimate him on clay.
Newfanzone.com Player to watch for 2015 Kei Nishikori will also pose some threat in Paris. The Japanese who won the Barcelona Open can take any of the big boys on and could just get to play in the Final of the French Open.
Other Exciting Players to watch in France include; Stanislas Wawrinka, Thomas Berdych, Gael Monfils, Grigor Dimitrov and David Ferrer.
NOTABLE ABSENTEE
Sixth seed Milos Raonic will miss the French Open tournament due to a lingering foot injury.
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NOTABLE FIRST ROUND DRAWS
* Andy Murray vs Qualifier
* Novak Djokovic vs Jarkko Nieminen
* Richard Gasquet vs Qualifier
* Qualifier vs Bernard Tomic
* Tim Smyczek vs Kevin Anderson
* Grigor Dimitrov vs Jack Sock
* Quentin Halys vs Rafael Nadal
* Andreas Seppi vs John Isner
* Kei Nishikori vs Paul-Henri Mathieu
* Jo-Wilfred Tsonga vs Qualifier
* Qualifier vs Fernando Verdasco
* Luckas Lacko vs David Ferrer
* Qualifier vs Tomas Berdych
* Stanislas Wawrinka vs Marsel Ilhan
* Qualifier vs Roger Federer
* Marin Cilic vs Robin Haase
STATISTICS (MALE)
PRIZE MONEY : €1,250,000
TROPHY : Coupe des Mouquetaires
MOST TITLES (AMATEUR ERA) : Max Decugis (8)
MOST TITLES (OPEN ERA) : RAFAEL NADAL (9)
SURFACE : Clay
DEFENDING CHAMPION: RAFAEL NADAL.
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NEWFANZONE VERDICT
Rafael Nadal goes into this competition as the defending champion but looking at the form of all the players going into Roland Garros Novak Djokovic has to be the favorite.
WOMEN’S PREVIEW
photo credit: Derek Holtham
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Serena Williams looks like the woman to beat in every Grand Slam competition as she will go in as favorite in Roland Garros once again.
The American top seed who pulled out of the Italian Open will look to still tell the world that she is the best when it comes to women tennis.
Serena will want to reach the magical 20 milestone but she will need to start well in Paris as she was defeated last year in the early rounds by Garbine Muguruza.
Maria Sharapova is in good form and might well retain her French Open title. The Russian who lost in the Australian Open final to Serena will once again hope the American suffers a shock exit in the hand of one of the exciting youngsters.
As defending champion Sharapova cannot earn any fresh ranking knowing that an early exit might see her drop from her No.2 spot in the world.
Petra Kvitova’s form in Madrid might mean that she is ready to fight when it comes to the Grand Slam for this year. The defending Wimbledon champion form in Paris does not look encouraging as her beat ever finish has been the semis in 2012.
Kvitova will have to bring her Wimbledon form back if she wants to at least get to the semi- final of Roland Garros.
Newfanzone.com player to watch for 2015 Simona Halep continues to improve as she has won three competitions earlier on this year but the world No.3 has been disappointing in the clay ATP competitions leading to the French Open. Simona Halep got to the final of this same competition last year and she might yet again just go a notch higher by winning the coveted prize.
Caroline Wozniacki is another player that has experienced a bit of resurgence since last year that got her to the US Open final. The former world No.1 might have lost to Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka in the build up to Roland Garros but underestimate her at your peril!
Other exciting names to look out for in Paris include; Carla Suarez Navarro, Eugenie Bouchard, Ekaterina Makarova, Agnieska Radwanska, Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznestova.
NOTABLE FIRST ROUND DRAWS
photo credit: si.robi
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* Serena Williams vs Qualifier
*Maria Teresa Torro-Flor vs Victoria Azarenka
* Sloane Stephens vs Venus Williams
* Petra Kvitova vs Marina Erakovic
* Alison Riske vs Sara Errani
* Kiki Bertens vs Svetlana Kuznestova
* Kristina Mladenovic vs Eugenie Bouchard
* Agnieszka Radwanska vs Annika Beck
* Kaia Kanepi vs Maria Sharapova
* Evgeniya Rosina vs Simona Halep
* Carla Suarez Navarro vs Monica Niculescu.
STATISTICS (FEMALE)
PRIZE MONEY : €1,120,000
TROPHY: Coupe Suzanne Lenglen
MOST TROPHIES (AMATEUR ERA): Adine Robson (5)
MOST TROPHIES ( OPEN ERA): Chris Evert (7)
SURFACE: Clay
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Maria Sharapova.
NEWFANZONE VERDICT
Serena Williams has won the Australian Open this year but it seems she might not get to win Roland Garros as Maria Sharapova looks sharp and primed to defend her title in Paris.
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