Roland Garros 2013: Contenders & Predictions
The second major championships of 2013 is almost upon us with 15 days of electrifying clay court tennis about to served up at Roland Garros. These are my picks for the players who will make an impact at this year's French Open.
Women's Singles
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| 20 year-old Williams lifts the trophy in 2002 |
Serena Williams has looked awesome for most of 2013, as she did for most of 2012. She has looked superb on the clay with titles in Charleston, Madrid and Rome. It's the first time she's ever come into Roland Garros with three clay court crowns.
The way she has been playing she has to be the favourite as she looks to add to her lone French Open title way back in 2002. Wiping out the memory of her first round loss 12 months ago will be a motivation and as long as she doesn't have a similar meltdown she will win.
Maria Sharapova returns to Roland Garros as defending champion after completing her career Grand Slam 12 months ago. Three or four years ago the self-confessed "Cow on ice" would not have factored among the favourites on what was her least favourite surface. However vastly improved movement has helped hugely and now she is a major contender at all clay court events.
Can she defend her title? She needs Williams to slip up. While she pushed the American hard in the Miami final, leading by a set and a break, she was overpowered in the Madrid final with the No.1 ranking on the line. If the World No.2 faces Williams in the final it will surely be the American taking the title.
Victoria Azarenka has had an injury interrupted season with a right ankle injury forcing her to pull out of Indian Wells and miss Miami. However the Belarusian was the one holding the trophy in Melbourne for her second major title. Can she win a third in Paris? She will be in the mix.
The former World No.1 is yet to reach a semi-final at Roland Garros so this could the year for her best performance on the dirt and if she and Sharapova meet in the last four it could be one hell of a battle. But could she take down Williams in the final? It is unlikely while she took down the American in Doha she has never come close on clay and I don't see that changing.
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| Errani was runner-up last year |
Twelve months ago Sara Errani made a stunning run through to the final in Paris with defeats of former champions Svetlana Kuznetsova, Ana Ivanovic and 2010 finalist Sam Stosur. The Italian No.1 returns to Roland Garros at a career high No.5 and I expect her to have another run deep into the draw.
Her game is perfectly suited to the clay and she has avoided the top three in her section of the draw so a semi-final berth is highly realistic. She pushed Williams hard for a set in Madrid but ultimately if the American is on Errani does not have enough fire power and the serve, particularly the second, is vulnerable. She will fight valiantly but I see Williams taking her down in the last four.
Li Na lifted the title two years ago and the big hitting Chinese No.1 could be a major factor in Paris this year. In January two falls in the Melbourne final against Azarenka may have denied her a second Grand Slam title but she again showed she is a player for the big stage.
Li's form on clay this year has been patchy with a runner-up showing in Stuttgart being the highlight but then she was not on fire on the dirt in 2011 before Roland Garros. She has a tricky draw but if she can get through to the latter stages she will be a big threat to Azarenka and Sharapova in the bottom half of the draw.
Men's Singles
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| Rafa lifts his 7th Roland Garros crown last year |
Rafael Nadal is once again a firm favourite in Paris as the world's greatest clay court players looks to win an unprecedented eighth French Open title. Anyone doubts about the Spaniards form on his return to the game after seven months out have been spectacularly swept aside with the former World No.1 reaching eight successive finals for the first time and winning on clay in Sao Paulo, Acapulco, Barcelona, Madrid and Rome.
However his eight year reign in Monte Carlo was ended by Djokovic in the final and if the pair meet in the semi-final it could, and should, be a thriller. If Rafa can take out Novak, and he would still be the favourite to do so, you have to think he'll be biting on the trophy again in two weeks time.
Novak Djokovic reached his first final in Paris twelve months ago and will again be determined to lift his first French Open title and complete the career Grand Slam. The 26 year-old has said it is his priority in 2013 to lift the title so he will not be lacking in motivation.
While losses against Dimitrov and Berdych in Madrid and Rome have meant the World No.1 has perhaps not had the preparation he had hoped for nevertheless his 6-2, 7-6(7-1) defeat of Nadal in the Monte Carlo will give him confidence. Two years ago after he had beaten the Spaniard twice in the build-up the two did not meet, assuming they reach their projected semi-final it will be a thriller.
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| Federer tastes victory in 2009 |
Roger Federer became a factor at this year's championship when the draw kept him apart from his great rival Nadal. Now that the 31 year-old cannot meet the Spaniard until the final he has to be favourite to reach the final from the bottom half of the draw as he looks to add a second French Open title and 18th major crown.
The Swiss World No.3 has had his slowest start to a season with the final in Rome being his best performance but the 6-1, 6-3 defeat to Nadal was especially comprehensive. If he can reach the 25th Grand Slam final of his career he will most likely need to produce his greatest ever performance.
The 31 year-old was crushed by Nadal in Acapulco but then pushed his compatriot to the limit in the quarter finals of both Madrid and Rome. He will be relieved that his compatriot is in the opposite half of the draw but should he meet Federer in the last four he will not take confidence from his 0-14 record against the Swiss which includes four losses on the clay.
Stanislas Wawrinka has played some of the best tennis of 2013. The Swiss No.2 defeated Ferrer to win the title in Oeiras and defeated Tsonga and Berdych to reach the final in Madrid. He is back in the top 10 for the first time in five years and is currently seventh in the race to London.
The 28 year-old with the irresistible backhand loves the clay but has the misfortune of landing in Nadal's quarter. If the two meet he will need to reproduce the kind of electrifying form that took him so close to taking out Djokovic in the fourth round of the Australian Open in the match of the year so far.
Predictions
Women's singles
Quarter finals
Williams (1) bt Makarova (22)
Errani (5) bt Ivanovic (14)
Azarenka (3) bt Li (6)
Sharapova (2) bt Jankovic (18)
Semi-Finals
Williams (1) bt Errani (5)
Sharapova (2) bt Azarenka (3)
Final
Williams (1) bt Sharapova (2)
Men's singles
Quarter finals
Djokovic (1) bt Haas (12)
Nadal (3) bt Wawrinka (9)
Ferrer (4) bt Gulbis (U)
Federer (2) bt Monaco (17)
Semi-Finals
Nadal (3) bt Djokovic (1)
Federer (2) bt Ferrer (4)
Final
Nadal (3) bt Federer (2)
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