French Open 2015 Schedule: Full Draw, Odds and Reaction from Roland Garros
The Roland Garros clay provides the backdrop for one of the most enthralling competitions in sport, as the world’s finest tennis player head to Paris for the French Open.
Rafael Nadal is the defending champion in the men’s draw, and it looks as though he’ll face a tough task if he’s to reach the final. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are on his side of the bracket, while Roger Federer looks set to have a comparatively straightforward passage to the final.
Reigning women’s champion Maria Sharapova will face a massive fight to keep hold of her title too, especially with American icon Serena Williams chasing an astonishing 20th Grand Slam win.
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Here’s a look at the schedule and how the bookmakers are seeing things ahead of this engrossing tournament.
| Player | Odds |
| Novak Djokovic | 5/6 |
| Rafael Nadal | 4/1 |
| Kei Nishikori | 9/1 |
| Andy Murray | 9/1 |
| Roger Federer | 10/1 |
| Player | Odds |
| Serena Williams | 11/4 |
| Maria Sharapova | 9/2 |
| Simona Halep | 9/2 |
| Petra Kvitova | 10/1 |
| Victoria Azarenka | 12/1 |
For full odds listings check out the OddsChecker website. Odds accurate as of 5 p.m. (BST) May 22.
Tournament will run between Sunday, May 24 and Sunday, June 7.
For the full draws, visit the tournament's official website.
Nightmare Draw For Nadal
Having won this competition nine times, there will naturally be plenty of expectation on Nadal when he takes to the clay. But given his own streaky recent form and the players that he’s likely to face in the draw, getting to the final in 2015 is going to take an almost superhuman effort.
As noted by BBC Tennis, the Spaniard is likely to face Djokovic pretty early on should he progress:
At the moment, the Serbian star would be the big favourite for this match. The fact that Rafa is seeded sixth for this tournament shows just how far his stock has fallen recently, while Djokovic is in scintillating form.
The world No. 1 beat Federer in the final of the Italian Open in his previous outing, notching his 22nd consecutive win. “So far, this is the best season of my life,” said the 28-year-old afterward, per BBC Sport. However, Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times thinks a titanic quarter-final clash may suit the Spaniard:
Of course, with Murray also on that side of the draw, the big winner is Federer. Given Nadal’s dominance on clay, the Swiss has only ever won this title on one occasion in his distinguished career, but with all the main threats likely to be averted up until the final, the veteran may never get a better opportunity to add to his collection.
SI Tennis summed up how Federer must have been feeling:
Aside from the usual suspects, there are a few other names worth looking out for in this tournament, especially with the draw likely to open up on Federer’s half. Kei Nishikori is a man that continues to improve on clay, while Stanislas Wawrinka is a very difficult opponent to get the better of and has Grand Slam pedigree to boot.
In the women's draw, Serena can reach a landmark 20th Grand Slam title with a win at Roland Garros this year, but she’s likely to face some obdurate opposition early on in the tournament, per Rothenberg:
Sharapova will be desperate to retain her title here too. Like Djokovic, she was also in awesome form at the Italian Open, showcasing sparkling play in the early rounds and spades of fortitude to edge past Carla Suarez Navarro in a tense final.
The Russian will play Kaia Kanepi in the her opening match, and as noted by the tournament’s official Twitter account, it’s clear the Russian superstar is taking absolutely nothing for granted:
As good as Maria has been as of late, with a cornerstone triumph in sight, expect Serena to up the ante and seize glory in Paris. The American may have only won this Grand Slam on a couple of occasions, but she’ll relish the chance of reaching that landmark and prove too strong for the rest of the field.
The same goes for Djokovic in the men’s draw. He’s never quite found his best form at Roland Garros, but he’s been immaculate in his preparations. With clay king Nadal toiling in the buildup, Djokovic will not get many better opportunities than this; expect the Serb to grasp his chance and eventually the Coupe des Mousquetaires with both hands.
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