French Open 2015: Predictions for Top Singles Stars of Friday's Draw Schedule
The French Open men's singles semifinals are ready to captivate Roland Garros today in what will become a test of human endurance.
With the weather set to reach as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the afternoon, the earlier matchup of eighth-seeded Stan Wawrinka and 14th-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (7 a.m. EST) will be exposed to the toughest elements.
The day's second and final (9:30 a.m. EST) will be the headliner, with first-ranked Novak Djokovic taking on No. 3 Andy Murray.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
While the one who emerges from the Djokovic/Murray tilt will most likely be considered the favorite for the Coupe de Mousquetaires, hometown favorite Tsonga will have plenty of support in Paris.
Djokovic's victory over nine-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal will ensure that there will be a different French Open champion not named Nadal or Federer for the first time in 11 years. Twice a finalist in 2012 and 2014, Djokovic will still have plenty of work cut out for him in the semifinals if he manages to get through.
Here's a look at who will be left standing for Sunday's final.
Novak Djokovic vs. Andy Murray
The first-ranked player is just two wins away from his career Grand Slam. Having won the U.S. Open once, Wimbledon twice and the Australian Open five times, the clay of Roland Garros has been one demon that he has not been able to exorcise due to the dominance of Nadal.
By defeating the star in straight sets in the quarterfinals, it seems that the torch is completely being passed to Djokovic as the world's top player.
That's if he can finish the job. He is 154-40 on clay in his career, but the weather could be a factor. A hazy, hot day in Paris will certainly test his stamina.
He will have to be almost perfect playing up the line and merciless when it comes to finishing off his opponent, Andy Murray.
Ranked third in the world, Murray is currently on a 15-match winning streak on clay, bumping up a modest career record to now 73-37, something that has grabbed Djokovic's attention.
Speaking with the Associated Press, via Yahoo! News, Djokovic was able to watch Murray win two titles this year in Madrid and Munich, both of which were on clay.
""He has improved on clay, no doubt about it. I watched him a little bit in Madrid. Here he's been playing some really good tennis. He's moving better, serving very well, and he always had a (good) touch."
"
Djokovic holds an 18-8 career mark against Murray. He most recently defeated Murray in four sets for the French Open title. The Scot's last victory over the world's top player was in the 2013 Wimbledon Final, with none coming on clay.
There is a very good chance that this match goes to five sets. Fatigue will be noticeable but play will be remarkable. Djokovic is at the top of his game and will have just enough in the tank to get past Murray and into the final.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Stan Wawrinka
Appearing in his second French Open semifinals, Tsonga, at the time ranked sixth in the world, was beaten by David Ferrer in 2013. Seeing his rank drop to 14th in the world since then, he has made the semifinals this year after a grueling five-set victory over Japan's Kei Nishikori.
With his hometown of Le Mans just two hours away from Paris, Tsonga will be the crowd favorite and will be feeding off their energy.
With his big-shot capability and aggressive style of play where he won't be afraid to attack the net, Tsonga will ensure of an entertaining semifinal.
His counterpart, eighth-ranked Stan Wawrinka, has been industrious during this year's French Open. Of his five matches played, he has won four of them in straight sets. At 142-75, Wawrinka certainly has more experience on clay and looks like the favorite going in.
But Wawrinka is prone to making a lot of errors and it's a huge reason why he lost to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals, according to ATPworldtour.com.
If Tsonga can dictate the pace and contain Wawrinka's serve while keeping him away from the backhand, he will beat Wawrinka in four sets.
*Career clay stats courtesy of ATPworldtour.com
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
