The French Open has already thrown up some cracking ties in the first round, in what promises to be an action-packed tournament.
Take, for example, the battle between two former Roland Garros champions Garbine Muguruza and Svetlana Kuznetsova or an all-Aussie grudge match between Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios – theres plenty of drama to be seen in the early stages.
But there are a few fascinating ties that could crop up along the road, that are particularly enticing.
Here are five that we are desperate to see in 2018…
Notable French Open R1 matches
Muguruza v Kuznetsova
Goerges v Cibulkova
Vandeweghe v Siegemund
S. Williams v Kr Pliskova
Kasatkina v Kanepi
Watson v Dodin
Wozniacki v Collins
Konta v Putintseva
Azarenka v Siniakova
Tomic v Kyrgios
Nadal v Dolgopolov
Seppi v Gasquet
Coric v Kohlschreiber
Edmund v De Minaur
Chardy v Berdych
Del Potro v Mahut
Goffin v Haase
Djokovic v Dutra Silva
Troicki v Dimitrov
Tiafoe v Querrey
Garcia-Lopez v Wawrinka
Rafael Nadal v Novak Djokovic (F)
Ok, it cant happen until the final and there are a heck of a lot of matches set to happen before we get there, but this still remains the dream finale in Paris.
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Djokovic is the only man who has truly been able to hold a candle to the world No. 1 on a clay court and remains the sole owner of a straight-sets win over the Spaniard in a best-of-five match on his favoured surface.
Nadal is the clear favourite to win the tournament, but Djokovic has shown real signs of improvement and a solid two weeks behind him could gear us up for an epic on Philippe Chatrier.
Maria Sharapova v Serena Williams (R4)
One of the fiercest rivalries on the WTA Tour – the two players have made little secret of their feelings about one another.
Despite their head-to-head being pretty one-sided in Serenas favour, a meeting in the fourth round at Roland Garros would be a tasty affair.
Sharapova seems to have finally found her feet in Madrid and Rome, after struggling for fitness and form since returning to the sport after a 15-month drugs ban, while Williams is making her latest comeback after pregnancy.
With the Russian in the ascendancy, question marks over Williams fitness and a whole lot of backstory, this would be an absolute corker.
Dominic Thiem v Alexander Zverev (QF)
The two players who pushed Nadal hardest in the clay-court swing have been drawn in the same quarter – and it would be an eagerly anticipated match-up between two of the most dangerous players on the surface this season.
Thiem remains the only player to beat Nadal in both 2017 and 2018 on clay, although Zverev came mighty close having led 3-1 in the final set of the Italian Open final.
With titles in Munich and Madrid, second seed Zverev is tipped to go far in Paris, though, some remain concerned by his Slam form.
Hes never been to a Grand Slam quarter-final in the past, nor has he beaten a top-50 player at a major and a clash with Thiem would be a fitting way to end both those records.
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Jelena Ostapenko v Victoria Azarenka (R2)
Reigning French Open champion vs two-time Grand Slam champion. And as early as the second round!!!
The most likely contest well see on the list, the two heavyweights of womens tennis will collide should they negotiate their first-round matches.
The pair are yet to meet but former world No. 1 Azarenka – whose ranking is down at 82 in the world having spent long periods away from the game first due to pregnancy and then a lengthy custody battle – would love the chance to dump the current title holder out early doors.
Kyle Edmund v Rafael Nadal (SF)
Half the reason we want to see this match is that it would confirm another Grand Slam semi-final for British No. 1 Kyle Edmund, but home loyalties aside – this would be an interesting test for Nadal.
The Spaniards draw looks largely straightforward, but Edmund has proven himself to be one of the most dangerous clay-court players this season and will really fancy his chances of going deep at Roland Garros.
Edmund already has wins over Novak Djokovic and David Goffin under his belt and his big serve and booming forehand are exactly the sort of weapons required to keep Nadal on the back foot.
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The French Open has already thrown up some cracking ties in the first round, in what promises to be an action-packed tournament.
Take, for example, the battle between two former Roland Garros champions Garbine Muguruza and Svetlana Kuznetsova or an all-Aussie grudge match between Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios – theres plenty of drama to be seen in the early stages.
But there are a few fascinating ties that could crop up along the road, that are particularly enticing.
Here are five that we are desperate to see in 2018…
Notable French Open R1 matches
Muguruza v Kuznetsova
Goerges v Cibulkova
Vandeweghe v Siegemund
S. Williams v Kr Pliskova
Kasatkina v Kanepi
Watson v Dodin
Wozniacki v Collins
Konta v Putintseva
Azarenka v Siniakova
Tomic v Kyrgios
Nadal v Dolgopolov
Seppi v Gasquet
Coric v Kohlschreiber
Edmund v De Minaur
Chardy v Berdych
Del Potro v Mahut
Goffin v Haase
Djokovic v Dutra Silva
Troicki v Dimitrov
Tiafoe v Querrey
Garcia-Lopez v Wawrinka
Rafael Nadal v Novak Djokovic (F)
Ok, it cant happen until the final and there are a heck of a lot of matches set to happen before we get there, but this still remains the dream finale in Paris.
Advertisement Advertisement
Djokovic is the only man who has truly been able to hold a candle to the world No. 1 on a clay court and remains the sole owner of a straight-sets win over the Spaniard in a best-of-five match on his favoured surface.
Nadal is the clear favourite to win the tournament, but Djokovic has shown real signs of improvement and a solid two weeks behind him could gear us up for an epic on Philippe Chatrier.
Maria Sharapova v Serena Williams (R4)
One of the fiercest rivalries on the WTA Tour – the two players have made little secret of their feelings about one another.
Despite their head-to-head being pretty one-sided in Serenas favour, a meeting in the fourth round at Roland Garros would be a tasty affair.
Sharapova seems to have finally found her feet in Madrid and Rome, after struggling for fitness and form since returning to the sport after a 15-month drugs ban, while Williams is making her latest comeback after pregnancy.
With the Russian in the ascendancy, question marks over Williams fitness and a whole lot of backstory, this would be an absolute corker.
Dominic Thiem v Alexander Zverev (QF)
The two players who pushed Nadal hardest in the clay-court swing have been drawn in the same quarter – and it would be an eagerly anticipated match-up between two of the most dangerous players on the surface this season.
Thiem remains the only player to beat Nadal in both 2017 and 2018 on clay, although Zverev came mighty close having led 3-1 in the final set of the Italian Open final.
With titles in Munich and Madrid, second seed Zverev is tipped to go far in Paris, though, some remain concerned by his Slam form.
Hes never been to a Grand Slam quarter-final in the past, nor has he beaten a top-50 player at a major and a clash with Thiem would be a fitting way to end both those records.
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Jelena Ostapenko v Victoria Azarenka (R2)
Reigning French Open champion vs two-time Grand Slam champion. And as early as the second round!!!
The most likely contest well see on the list, the two heavyweights of womens tennis will collide should they negotiate their first-round matches.
The pair are yet to meet but former world No. 1 Azarenka – whose ranking is down at 82 in the world having spent long periods away from the game first due to pregnancy and then a lengthy custody battle – would love the chance to dump the current title holder out early doors.
Kyle Edmund v Rafael Nadal (SF)
Half the reason we want to see this match is that it would confirm another Grand Slam semi-final for British No. 1 Kyle Edmund, but home loyalties aside – this would be an interesting test for Nadal.
The Spaniards draw looks largely straightforward, but Edmund has proven himself to be one of the most dangerous clay-court players this season and will really fancy his chances of going deep at Roland Garros.
Edmund already has wins over Novak Djokovic and David Goffin under his belt and his big serve and booming forehand are exactly the sort of weapons required to keep Nadal on the back foot.
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