Roland Garros Men’s Draw

Does it really matter which half of the draw you are in?  Theoretically it should not matter; however, it does, if not on a physical level perhaps on a psychological level.  Yet, history has shown us that you can win a major anywhere in the draw, it just means that you have a tad more resistance on your way to the final.  This matters because clay is the surface that taxes a player the most physically.

For the first time in a major, the three big guys are in the same half of the draw.  Perhaps that would have been significant if it were grass or hard court; however, on clay it’s not a big deal.  Roger Federer has not played much tennis this season and his only outing on clay ended in a loss in his first match to Pablo Andujar.

Nevertheless, all eyes will of course be on this trio; more important, all eyes will be on Rafael Nadal.  Can he wade through the obstacles to get to another Roland Garros final?  It will be tough with players like Andrey Rublev, Diego Schwartzman, and Jannik Sinner in his quarter.  Still he only has to beat the opponent in front of him and this is a major where anything can happen.

French Open Women’s Draw

While we have a clear favorite on the men’s side, there is no such clear favorite on the women’s side.  Ashleigh Barty is the number one ranked player and number one seed; she knows how to win at Roland Garros.  Many eyes will be on the twenty-fourth seed, Cori Gauff. How deep will Gauff go? All eyes will probably be on the defending champion, eight seeded, Iga Swiatek. Will Swiatek defend her title?

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Fans of Serena Williams will be holding on to the hope that she can finally win number twenty-four.  However, on a surface that requires speed and endurance, it’s highly unlikely Williams will get pass the third round.  I don’t say this easily as a fan of Williams.  Watching her form recently, the evidence is strongly against her on this surface.  As for the number two seed, Naomi Osaka, anything is possible when she is fully engaged mentally.

ALL IMAGES: Getty Images [main image: Rafael Nadal by Aurelien Meunier]