French Open 2015 Schedule: Replay TV Coverage, Live Stream for Tuesday's Draw
Day 3 of the French Open packs the opening round's most star power. Both top seeds and the man who rules Roland Garros will begin their quest for the crown on Tuesday.
With a quarterfinals showdown looming, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both have a long way to go before setting up that awaited collision. Although Djokovic enters the No. 1 seed in search of his first French Open title, Nadal has only lost one match during a decade of dominance.
Looking to erase the sour taste of last year's early elimination, Serena Williams starts a draw that will quickly progress in difficulty. No. 4 Petra Kvitova will also take the court early in the morning, giving viewers plenty to watch.
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Tuesday's French Open Schedule
| 5 a.m. - 10 a.m. | First Round | ESPN2 |
| 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. | First Round | Tennis Channel |
Live Stream: Tennis Channel, NBC Sports Live Extra
Video Replay: WatchESPN
Matchups to Watch
No. 6 Rafael Nadal vs. Quentin Halys
A nine-time French Open champion with a career 66-1 record at Roland Garros, Nadal enters a No. 6 seed amid recent slumps. He didn't win any of his last four tournaments, all on clay courts, and it doesn't help the King of Clay that Djokovic and Andy Murray are undefeated on his preferred surface in 2105.
The always honest Nadal frankly discussed his form during Friday's press conference, per RolandGarros.com's Kate Battersby:
"It's not terrible, but compared to other years, it obviously looks bad. Comparisons will always happen when you have achieved a lot in the past. When you lose more than other years, obviously your confidence is a bit less. But I am having fewer bad days, I am a little more consistent. I'm going to try my best, and I think it can happen. If not, I'll continue the season. It's important to have a full season with no injuries, and see where I finish.
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Adding further intrigue to his contention, Nadal was placed in the same bracket as Djokovic, setting up a possible quarterfinal bout between the two familiar foes. Although Nadal has controlled the rivalry at Roland Garros, Djokovic bested him at Monte Carlo last month.
Before those two meet, Nadal commences his journey against 18-year-old Quentin Halys, who makes his major debut a year after competing in the boys division. Talk about a brutal draw for a teenager getting his first crack at a Grand Slam.
Ranked No. 296, the French prospect couldn't enter Tuesday's match as a bigger underdog. While he gets a chance to gain valuable experience in front of a partisan home crown, anything short of Nadal's 10th title will be deemed a disappointment.
Don't expect any miracles, but keep an eye on Nadal's form as he looks to cement his throne as the ruler of clay courts.
No. 1 Serena Williams vs. Andrea Hlavackova
Based on her recent French Open history, Williams is no lock to cruise through the early rounds.
While emerging victorious in 2013, she was quickly shown the door the year before and after. The two-time French Open champion suffered a first-round elimination in 2012 and second-round exit last year. At her best, Williams is untouchable, but she doesn't brandish the consistency of Djokovic, who has lasted at least until the quarterfinals during his last 24 majors.
As detailed by espnW.com's Susie Arth, Williams netted a brutal draw that will again test her early and often:
"Although the two-time French Open champion lost in the second round a year ago to Garbine Muguruza, we're going to pick up our bumpy narrative in the third round. That's where a potential clash with two-time major champion and former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka could take place. After that, it could be seven-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 (and sister) Venus Williams in the round of 16. And, how does a potential quarterfinal matchup against best bud and former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki sound? In the semis, it could be Petra Kvitova, the only player on the planet who has a win over Serena Williams this year. Sure, a lot has to happen between now and then, but Serena wasn't given any favors.
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Williams starts her tournament against Andrea Hlavackova, a 28-year-old who is 10-10 in singles play this year. Ranked No. 190, she has not won a Grand Slam matchup since 2012's U.S. Open, where she advanced to the fourth round during her best tournament showing.
Williams ended Hlavackova in two 6-0 sets, and the two have not crossed paths since. So the world's No. 1-ranked star enters the colossal favorite who's all but certain to advance, but it'll be telling to see if the dominant Williams shows up at Roland Garros.
If she doesn't flash peak form during the first two matchups, it'll be difficult to confidently support her quest to capture Grand Slam No. 20.
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