French Open 2018 TV Schedule, Draw, Live-Stream Listings for Entire Tournament
Some of the biggest names in tennis will be under the spotlight when the French Open begins Sunday.
Rafael Nadal, the most dominant clay-court player in history, is in search of his 11th championship at Roland Garros, and he enters as the No. 1 seed in the men's draw.
While the seeded players in the women's draw present plenty of intriguing stories, the focus is on Serena Williams' return to Grand Slam tennis.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Despite being the best women's player in history, Williams isn't seeded for the tournament, and she poses a threat to everyone in her path.
Romania's Simona Halep is the No. 1 seed in the women's draw, while Caroline Wozniacki sits on the opposite end of the bracket as the No. 2 seed.
2018 French Open TV Schedule
Dates: May 27-June 10
TV: NBC, Tennis Channel
Live Stream: NBC Sports App, NBC Sports Live
Coverage Schedule
All Times ET
1st 4 Rounds (May 27-June 4)
5 a.m.-3 p.m.
Quarterfinals (June 5 & 6)
7 a.m.-1 p.m.
Semifinals
June 7: Women's semifinals (8 a.m.-2 p.m.)
June 8: Men's semifinals (6 a.m.-2 p.m.)
Women's Final (June 9)
9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Men's Final (June 10)
9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Nadal comes into the tournament as the favorite to capture the title based off his remarkable history on the red clay in Paris.
The left-handed Spaniard opens the tournament against Alex Dolgopolov, and he is in line to face No. 27 Richard Gasquet in the fourth round if chalk holds.
No. 3 Marin Cilic and No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro are the top threats to Nadal in his side of the bracket, as the 10-time French Open champion could face either in the quarterfinals.
The bottom half of the draw is headlined by No. 2 Alexander Zverev, who has a chance to break through on one of the sport's biggest stages without Roger Federer and Andy Murray present.
Zverev is one of the best young players in the game, but he hasn't been able to make a significant impact on the sport yet because of the stranglehold the top four players have on the major titles.
The 21-year-old German still needs to prove himself at majors, as he made it past the fourth round just once in his career at a Grand Slam tournament.
Zverev is in the form of his life, and he could produce a thrilling final opposite Nadal if he gets through his half of the draw.
Standing in the way of Zverev are No. 4 Grigor Dimitrov, No. 7 Dominic Thiem and No. 20 Novak Djokovic, who has a lower seed because he's working his way back from an injury layoff.
Djokovic faces qualifier Rogerio Dutra da Silva in the first round, and he may have to beat No. 13 Roberto Bautista Agut and Dimitrov to reach the quarterfinals.
Although Nadal and Zverev are seen as the top contenders, Djokovic and his 12 Grand Slam titles can't be discounted.
When you're in possession of 23 Grand Slam titles, you demand respect no matter how much you've played in the last year.
That's the case with Williams, who is the most dangerous unseeded player in Grand Slam history.
The 36-year-old drew a first-round matchup against Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic, who hasn't made it out of the first round at Roland Garros in the last two years.
Pliskova's twin sister, Karolina, is the No. 6 seed and the top-seeded player in Williams' part of the bracket.
Given the way the draw is set up, it's possible Williams needs to beat both Pliskova sisters in order to move on to the final eight.
Halep and No. 3 Garbine Muguruza reside in the veteran's half of the bracket, which means each of the top seeds might have to go through the American legend in order to have a shot at the title.
Even if Muguruza defeats Williams in the quarterfinals, the Spaniard would still have to face Halep to get to the championship match.
As if that isn't enough star power in one half of the draw, No. 28 Maria Sharapova lies in Williams' quarter, which means if she beats Karolina Pliskova, an early-round showdown with the American could be on the cards.
Compared to the top half, the bottom part of the women's draw is incredibly tame, as Wozniacki and No. 4 Elina Svitolina have much easier paths to the semifinals.
Among the players to watch in the bottom section are a trio of Americans: No. 9 Venus Williams, No. 10 Sloane Stephens and No. 13 Madison Keys.
The American trio lucked out, as they wouldn't have to face each other until the quarterfinals at the earliest, while Stephens wouldn't face Williams or Keys until the semifinals.
While the potential big-name matchups are phenomenal on paper, you have to remember upsets ruled the women's tournament a year ago, as only three top-10 seeds advanced to the quarterfinals.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90
Statistics obtained from RolandGarros.com
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
