Traditional tennis foes to clash at second Grand Slam tournament

Danny Perez-Crouse

The French Open is almost upon us, tennis fans. It may be early, but that doesn’t stop us from speculating who will be holding the trophy at the end.

For those of you who don’t know, the French Open is one of the four biggest tennis tournaments of the year. These tournaments are referred to as Grand Slam. At a Grand Slam tournament, the stadiums are bigger and the prize money is sweeter. There is a cool $1 million awaiting the winner. The French Open is also held in Paris, where the courts are clay-based, as opposed to the conventional hard courts.

I know people say this about every Grand Slam tourney, but there is just something so unique about the French Open. The way the players glide across the sea of red clay and how the incredibly animated French crowds howl in the background makes each match feel like a true battle between titans of tennis. The matches always go a little longer, and we end up staying up a little later because we can’t take our eyes off the screen.

On the men’s side, it’s usually a no-brainer as to who will win the French. Rafael Nadal is always the favorite because he is well established as the greatest clay-court player of all time. Rafa has won the French Open seven times, and is the four-time defending champion.

While it’s true that Nadal has been having some knee troubles, it does not seem to be showing. He won the first tournament he played after his injury hiatus, without breaking a sweat. He has had a few hiccups along the road, but he is still in great form and going deep in every tournament.

Of course Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are always good to bet on in any Grand Slam. Djokovic in particular has been giving Nadal a lot of trouble lately. If Rafa does not make it to the finals, my money would be between Federer and Djokovic. I only leave out Andy Murray because he is not as proficient on clay as the other big three on the clay. He will certainly make it to the semifinals, but I believe that’s as far as he’ll go this year.

If Nadal can make quick work of the competition leading up to the final legs of the tournament, his body should be able to handle whatever the other three have to throw at him.

Nadal’s movement, agility, shot selection and power is far too devastating and consistent on the clay for anyone to best him. Plus, his unbreakable will is always at its strongest in the French. We have seen people give him a run for his money, but it all ends the same way. I have no doubt that we will see Nadal again taking a bite (his special tradition) of the Roland Garros trophy again next month.

Now for the ladies. It may seem easy to go with the defending champ again, but Maria Sharapova is looking great on the road to the French. Just like last year, some of Sharapova’s best tennis came out of the clay court season.

She recently won a tournament on the clay and has been on the cusp of another Grand Slam title since last year’s Wimbledon, but just hasn’t been able to get through.

It seems like Serena Williams and Victoria Azeranka always get the better of her in the finals of a Grand Slam event, but I don’t think that will be the case here. Azeranka is not the best on the clay and while Serena is good on clay, it’s not where she plays her best tennis.

Serena is usually the favorite everywhere she goes, but she has trouble getting away with relying on brute-force alone on a surface where the rallies are much longer. I am not completely sure where the chips will fall because there are always plenty of upsets in the women’s draw, but I am certain that Sharapova will make it to the finals.

Sharapova has a tendency to get in her own way with the unforced errors, but if she can stay consistent, stay aggressive and not let her serve taper off, then she has it in the bag.

So that’s one man’s opinion. Make your own predictions and check out the French Open on May 26 for all the action.

Kayla Tatum–

Opening night of the French Open begins May 26 and tennis fans are ready to see some outstanding tennis played by the best in the world.

For the men’s side of the tournament, Rafael Nadal is predicted to win the 2013 French Open title because of the seven French Open titles he has already won that gained him the nickname “King of Clay.”

Nadal had a roller coaster year last season. He was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the finals of the 2012 Australian Open and their five-set match made history for being the longest Grand Slam final, lasting five hours and 53 minutes. Nadal also lost in the second round to Lukas Rosol in a five-set match at the 2012 Wimbledon tournament, one of the greatest shocks in Grand Slam history.

What was also unfortunate was that he had to withdraw from the London Olympics and the U.S. Open last year due to the tendinitis in his knee. Although he had some challenges last year, people are expecting him to make a fierce comeback and win the 2013 French Open title. Last year in the 2012 French Open he beat the No. 1 ranked Novak Djokovic.

Nadal can surely be the player to look out for in the finals and it is likely he will be up against either Roger Federer or Djokovic in the finals because they have both consistently been playing in Grand Slam finals throughout their career. Whatever the outcome and whoever ends up playing in the finals, we know it is going to be exciting to watch.

As for the women’s competition, it isn’t as clear who is going to win the title. Some favorites are Serena Williams, Li Na and Maria Sharapova.

Williams has a great chance of winning, although she struggled with injuries last season. She is still a fierce competitor, stays focused and is always someone to look out for in any Grand Slam event. Williams has won 27 Grand Slams and is thought by many to be the greatest to have ever played tennis. “To me, Serena is the best ever just because I think physically she just stands out,” Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters said in a news conference at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.  Although Serena hasn’t won a French Open title since 2002 when she played against her sister, Venus, she still can make it out on top this year.

Someone else to look for in the finals is Li Na. Even though Na won the French Open in 2011 and was the runnerup twice for the Australian Open, many people think of her as an underdog. But she is going to cause some stir in the tournament this year and will go far. She plays well on the clay courts; the speed of the ball on the court fits her style of play. She is a great role model to others and made history in 2006 as being the first Chinese player to be seeded in a Grand Slam tournament. She has been training with her new coach, Carlos Rodriguez, who has been helping her get ready for the tournaments she has entered.

Last but not least, Maria Sharapova will be someone to definitely look out for in defending her title at the French Open. She defeated Sara Errani in two sets last year. Sharapova is only 26 years old and has had a great career; she has won four Grand Slam titles, including one Wimbledon title, one Australian title, one U.S. Open title and her French Open title last year. Sharapova is a fierce competitor with many different strategies that she uses in her matches. Her serve hasn’t been consistent in the past because of a shoulder injury but now she is ready to compete.

Whoever ends up playing in the women’s final will create an entertaining match for tennis fans.