2017 ATP FRENCH OPEN PREVIEW

This Week In Tennis
Season 2, Vol 17a

​Welcome to the ATP French Open preview edition of  "This Week in Tennis." Below you will be given a rundown of the top eight seeds, players to watch, and pointed in the direction of intriguing first round matches at tennis' second Grand Slam. 

Click here for the WTA French Open preview.

(1) Andy Murray

Best Result: F - 2016

2017 Clay Results: SF - Barcelona, R16 - Monte Carlo, Madrid 

World #1 Murray hasn't lived up to his ranking in 2017, owning a paltry 16-7 record on the season. His most recent result heading into the French Open is a 2-6 4-6 loss to Fabio Fognini in Rome. A finalist last year at Roland Garros, Murray has 1,200 ranking points to defend from a year ago. After suffering from shingles and the flu, his fitness is a question mark.
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(2) Novak Djokovic

Best Result: W - 2016

2017 Clay Results: F - Rome, SF - Madrid, QF - Monte Carlo  

Djokovic enters the 2017 French Open as defending champion, having finally completed his career Grand Slam 12 months prior. He also carries with him the added spotlight of a new, high-profile coaching hire in Andre Agassi, as well as a new clothing sponsor in Lacoste. While his results in 2017 have paled in comparison to this time last year, a finals appearance in Rome might have steadied the ship just in the nick of time.

(3) Stan Wawrinka

Best Result: W - 2015

2017 Clay Results: W - Geneva, QF - Monte Carlo, R16 - Rome 

While Stan Wawrinka is arguably the most inconsistent elite player on the ATP Tour, that reputation doesn't apply to his play in Grand Slams over the last four years; only four times in his last 16 Slam starts has Wawrinka failed to reach at least the final eight. He can beat anybody on any given day, and he should be in the thick of things once more. 

​(4) Rafael Nadal

Best Result: W - 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2017 Clay Results: W - Monte Carlo, W - Barcelona, W - Madrid, QF - Rome

Rafael Nadal entered the 2016 French Open on a roll, aiming to win a tenth title at Roland Garros. A wrist injury forced his withdrawal before the third round, laying waste to that dream. A year later, Nadal returns in even better form, having reached the finals of the Australian Open and winning titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Madrid. During that stretch, he also managed to score his first win over Djokovic -- a convincing one at that -- since the 2014 French Open. 
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(5) Milos Raonic

Best Result: QF - 2015

2017 Clay Results: F - Istanbul, SF - Lyon, QF - Rome, R16 - Madrid

Raonic's results on clay haven't been terrible by any stretch. However, he has suffered from a lull -- in no small part due to an inability to stay healthy -- since reaching his first major final at Wimbledon last year. He is a former quarterfinalist here, but heavy favourite Nadal looms in his quarter.

(6) Dominic Thiem

Best Result: SF - 2016

2017 Clay Results: F- Barcelona, F - Madrid, SF - Rome, R16 - Monte Carlo

In spite of not winning any titles, Thiem has put together the second-best stretch of clay court tennis this year. He beat Nadal in his third try, a straight sets win in the quarterfinals of Rome. In the next round, however, Thiem was mercilessly swept aside by Djokovic. His big hitting and clay savvy makes him a player to watch, but a rematch with Djokovic is on offer in the quarterfinals.

(7) Marin Cilic

​Best Result: 4R - 2009, 2010, 2015
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2017 Clay Results: W - Istanbul, QF - Monte Carlo, Rome

Cilic overperformed on clay this year, winning the title in Istanbul over fellow non-clay court specialist Milos Raonic. A first-round loser in Roland Garros 2016, Cilic enters the 2017 edition to little fanfare. He is a candidate to take advantage of arguably the weakest quarter in the draw and make his first ever French quarterfinal.

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(8) Kei Nishikori

​Best Result: QF - 2014
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2017 Clay Results: SF - Geneva, QF - Madrid, R16 - Rome

Injury curtailed much of Nishikori's clay season this year, missing both Monte Carlo and Barcelona. Still, he has the clay pedigree to do well in Paris; Nishikori has made six career clay court finals and won two titles. However, the biggest question mark for the world #9 remains his ability to stay healthy enough to make a deep run into week two of a Slam. If his body holds up, Nishikori is a semifinal candidate with #1 Murray struggling for form and health in his quarter.

​DRAWS ->

MEN'S SINGLES

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Alex Zverev - The hype surrounding Zverev has hit a fever pitch after beating Djokovic to win in Rome and crack the ATP top 10 for the first time.

David Goffin - Due for a breakout result, having only ever made the quarters at a Slam twice. A first time top 10 players this year, he will likely have to go through Thiem and Djokovic to make the semis.

Nick Kyrgios - The Aussie is as talented as any "Next Gen" star, and has the moxie to beat the legends, but he is not at optimal health at the moment. Look out for that huge serve and forehand at Wimbledon?
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FIRST ROUND INTRIGUE

(9) Zverev vs Verdasco
(8) Nishikori vs Kokkinakis 
(28) Fognini vs Tiafoe 
(15) Monfils vs Brown  
(18) Kyrgios vs Kohlschreiber
(4) Nadal vs Paire 
(16) Pouille vs Benneteau

TOURNAMENT NOTES

• ​Rafael Nadal attempts (again) to become the first person to win a major tournament 10 times. He already broke this record at non-major tournaments twice this year, at both Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
• 2009 champ Roger Federer withdrew to focus on his grass and hard court preparation. After playing in every Slam between 1999 and 2015, Federer has now missed three of the last six.
• Defending champ Novak Djokovic is without a Slam win in his last three starts, the longest stretch for him since he won Wimbledon in 2014. 

ON THE WEB

​The New Roland Garros Is on Its Way
​30-somethings now hold top five spots in men's tennis
Rafa, Nole, Stan and a Throwback to French Opens Past
20 Years Ago in Paris, Kuerten's New Strings Sent the Tennis World Spinning
​Agassi could give Djokovic a few lessons in comebacks
​Rafael Nadal Looks Unstoppable Again
​Denied a Wild Card at Roland Garros, a French Player Makes His Point
​6 Players to Watch at the French Open
​Skipping French Open Is a Strategy That Fits Roger Federer
​Is Jack Sock America's Next Great Hope in Men's Tennis?
​Zverev on family, the French Open and beating Novak Djokovic in the final of the Italian Open

PODCASTS

​The Body Serve - ​Are You There, Margaret? It’s Me, God: Roland Garros Preview
The Main Draw - Novak Attack
​No Challenges Remaining - Draw Me Like One of Your French Opens, 2017
​Beyond The Baseline - ​Previewing the 2017 French Open with Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario
​Realz Tenis Fanz - ​The Smooth Criminals French Open Live Draw Show 2017​​
​The Tennis Podcast - Roland Garros Preview; Predictions, Excitement & Intrigue Abound
​WTA Insider - 2017 Roland Garros Preview
Tennis With An Accent - Roland Garros Preview With Rene Denfeld
Thirty Love - Ravi Ubha breaks down the French Open draw
​Tennis Connected - ​​Previewing the 2017 French Open