French Open Tennis 2013: Biggest Burning Questions at Roland Garros

Several intriguing questions remain at Roland Garros as the 2013 French Open tennis tournament presses on.

Novak Djokovic was handed the top seed in the men’s bracket, but seven-time champion Rafael Nadal appears to be back in top form.

Is he a shadow favorite to earn an incredible eighth title at Roland Garros?

Nadal has lost just once on the clay courts at the French Open, but he will be challenged before he even reaches the finals. He has also dropped just two matches since making his return from a left knee injury that sidelined him for much of 2012.

Djoker and Rafa were placed in the same bracket half, setting up a potential showdown in the semifinals.

That brings us to our first big question.

Is Novak Djokovic Ready for Greatness?

Djokovic has won nearly everything a tennis great can win, and he’s only 26 years old. There is certainly time for the Serbian to capture the elusive career Grand Slam, but it would be impressive if he could get it done so quickly by winning the 2013 French Open.

Just seven men have accomplished that feat, only three of whom played in the modern era of the game.

Recently, Djokovic handed Nadal, the king of clay, a stunning defeat at the 2013 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. The loss was the first Nadal has ever suffered at the event.

Djokovic will need to get past Rafa again, as mentioned, and then possibly Roger Federer in the finals in order to take this big step into the record books.

Can Serena Williams or Rafael Nadal be Stopped?

Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal are the hottest players in the game heading into Roland Garros. Williams has won 36 of her 38 matches in 2013, including three titles in three clay-court tournaments. Nadal has won six titles in eight tournaments since making his comeback in February.

Williams is also coming off of a gold-medal win at the London Olympics, a U.S. Open title and a Wimbledon crown. While she has succeeded in dominant fashion of late, she hasn’t performed well at the French Open in quite some time. Williams was shocked in the first round of the event last year and hasn’t won the event or advanced past the quarterfinals since 2002.

On the flip side, Nadal hasn’t participated in a Grand Slam since Wimbledon 2012. His recovery kept him out of the 2013 Australian Open, the year’s first major. But he has looked impressive every step of the way since making his return.

Right now, it’s hard to imagine anyone getting the better of either of these two incredible players.

Is the End Near for Roger Federer?

At 31 years old, it’s only a matter of time before Roger Federer wins his final Grand Slam. But could that day have already passed?

One pundit asked former tennis standout Cliff Drysdale what he thought about the state of Federer’s game. Drysdale’s response, which cautions counting Federer out, is a telling sign of a growing sentiment that the aging legend is slowly fading on the court.

His recent thumping by Nadal at the Italian Open exposed his diminishing speed and weakness on clay. In six tournaments in 2013, he has yet to record a title. This is the first time since 2000 that he has failed to do so prior to the French Open.

We all want to see Federer exit gracefully on top, as Pete Sampras did after defeating Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open. But if the end is indeed near, we’ll likely have to wait until a different event for one last epic hurrah from the Swiss giant.