French Open Tennis 2012: Latest Updates on Tennis' Top Stars
With the beginning of the 2012 French Open highlighting the Memorial Day weekend, it’s time for tennis fans to kick their feet up and enjoy the action of one of the greatest tennis tournaments of the year.
Not only do fans get to enjoy the grandeur and majesty of the French Open and the clay courts of Roland Garros, they get the greatest stars the sport of tennis can offer.
The biggest names in men’s and women’s tennis will collide in one of the most intriguing scenarios tennis could offer; you’d be a fool to miss this.
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There is no doubt that the Spanish star Rafael Nadal has dominated the French Open, but the competition this time around will be as tough as it has ever been.
Nadal has six career French Open Grand Slam wins over his career, and they all come over the last seven years. There is arguably no player as dominant on any court in the history of the sport as Nadal on the clay of Roland Garros.
If any man wants to walk away with the 2012 French Open trophy, they will have to go through Nadal to earn it.
While there is no doubting how dominant Serena Williams has been over the years, her dominance has not carried over into the French Open.
In 14 previous attempts to take the French Open crown, Williams has only reached the finals once; she did win that tournament, though. She knows she can win at Roland Garros, she just hasn’t lately.
With a wide-open women’s division, a hot streak from Serena could see the tennis star holding the first-place trophy when all is said and done.
As age slowly begins to steal away Federer’s speed and skill, he is still going strong on the tour and winning every tournament he can.
To win the French Open, though, he will need all he has left in the tank.
With a men’s field full of talented stars, Federer’s challenge to stay on top of his game is compounded by the fact that the division is as full of youth and skill as it has ever been.
It’s hard to be great right now, but Federer will manage.
While she has come into this tournament as one of the favorites, Maria Sharapova has never won a French Open in her illustrious career.
Despite reaching the semifinals and quarterfinals five times over eight years, she has never been able to get over the championship hump.
With a wide-open field this time around, there is no reason to think that the momentum Sharapova created by getting to the finals at the Australian Open won’t help her at Roland Garros.
Novak Djokovic
There is one major tournament in Novak Djokovic’s career that he has not won yet; the French Open at Roland Garros.
In seven chances at the title, the Djoker has gotten to the semifinals three times and the quarterfinals twice, but has never been able to win it all.
This year may be different.
Djokovic has been unsuccessful on clay courts through his career, but if he can win this year’s French Open and beat Nadal on his best surface, he will shake that monkey off his back.
Check back for more on tennis as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s Tennis Page to get your fill of all things tennis.
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