Read a preview and watch live streaming tennis from the French Open at Roland Garros.
Where: Roland Garros, Paris, France
When: 26th May – 9th June 2013.
Watch live: Click here to watch on ITV (subject to territory)
The 2013 French Open at Roland Garros promises to be a tremendous event, with some of the top players in tennis hoping to claim the second Grand Slam title of the year.
On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal has to be considered favourite.
Although his knee difficulties resulted in him missing the second half of the ATP World Tour season last year, he has returned in fine style, winning six of his eight tournaments this year, and reaching the final of the other two.
Nadal has also proved preposterously good at Roland Garros, and isn’t hailed as the King of Clay for nothing.
He has won the French Open seven times out of the eight he has entered, meaning that he has lost just a single match on the clay of Paris.
Still, Novak Djokovic will push him close for the title.
The Serbian world number one has labelled this tournament as his biggest target of the season, as the only Grand Slam he has yet to win, and will likely be Nadal’s biggest challenge alongside the legendary Roger Federer.
The likes of David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych, Stanislas Wawrinka and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga could also make real pushes for the trophy, whilst clay court specialists Juan Monaco and Nicolas Almagro could be dark horses in the latter rounds.
Andy Murray and Juan Martin Del Potro are conspicuous by their absence.
Amongst the women, Serena Williams is certainly the one to beat.
The American hasn’t always played her best tennis on clay, but given that she is playing the best tennis of her career at the moment and her favourable record against her closest rivals, she justifies her position.
Still, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka and Li Na could offer Williams a real challenge, and considering that the 31 year-old lost in the first round in 2012, the draw could well open up for players to make a late charge.
Italians Sara Errani and Francesca Schiavone will hope to prove themselves surprise contenders for la Coupe Suzanne Lenglen.
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