The 2nd Grand Slam of 2016 has kicked off. This is the time of the year when the world’s best tennis players descend on Paris to compete for the coveted French Open crown. From Novak Djokovic vying for his first French Open title to Serena Williams playing to win the only Grand Slam that she has not won back-to-back, there is a lot to look forward to at this year’s French Open. Here, we list out 5 significant statistical possibilities that could be become a reality come June 5th.
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#1 Rafael Nadal gunning for his 10th title
No tennis player, man or woman, has ever recorded double-digit wins at a single Grand Slam in the Open Era. Rafael Nadal would be trying to do exactly that at the French Open 2016. He is by the far the most successful player at Roland Garros having won the title an incredible 9 times. His last win came in 2014 but was defeated by rival Novak Djokovic at the quarter-final stage last year. This time around, he will be hoping to go two steps further and create a record that doesn’t seem likely to be broken anytime soon.
With his fitness improving with every game as evidenced by his recent victory at Monte Carlo, it is definitely not beyond the 29-year-old Spaniard to achieve a feat that will etch his name in Rolland Garros history.
#2 Serena Williams looking to equal Steffi Graf’s record of 22 Grand Slam wins
Serena Williams, arguably the best female tennis player of the Open Era, is one Grand Slam title away from equalling the record tally of 22 Slam wins recorded by German legend Steffi Graf.
Williams almost reached that record when she made it to the final of this year’s Australian Open. But a surprise reverse against Angelique Kerber meant the wait continued. Now, she is already on her way to having another crack at that record after a facile win against Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova in the first round.
Undoubtedly the best when in full flow, Williams has had a topsy-turvy 2016 so far as she plans to lengthen her career by reducing the number of tournaments she plays. So far, she has participated in only 4 tournaments this year winning one, albeit the most recent one in Italy. This could mean that she is a little under-cooked for a Grand Slam. However, she is still the number one seed and will start as the favourite to win her 4th French Open.
#3 Novak Djokovic aiming to match a 47-year-old record
The Djoker has been in devastating form in the last couple of years, blowing away opponents with consummate ease. In fact, since the beginning of 2015, the Serbian has an astonishing 120-9 win-loss record. But what would be foremost on his mind is winning the one title that he is yet to conquer – the French Open.
If he does triumph, he would the first man since Rod Laver in 1969, and the first in the Open Era to hold all 4 Grand Slam titles at the same time. Victory at Roland Garros will also make him only the 8th player in the history of the sport and the 5th in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam – winning all the 4 grand slams at least once.
Suffice to say then, that the reigning world number 1 will be ready to battle.
#4 Sania Mirza hoping to make Indian tennis history
While the men’s and women’s singles will attract most of the public attention globally, here in India, the spotlight will be on Sania Mirza and her doubles partner Martina Hingis. The duo, who currently hold the Wimbledon, US Open, and Australian Open titles, can complete their Career Grand Slam if they manage to win the French Open 2016.
If SanTina, as they are popularly known, do succeed, it would make Sania Mirza the first Indian tennis player to achieve a non-Calendar Grand Slam (ie holding all the four Majors at the same time). This amazing feat would be another feather in the Hyderabadi’s much-decorated cap but one that she will probably cherish more than any other.
#5 33 years since a Frenchman won the French Open
It’s been 33 years since Yannick Noah beat Mats Wilander to lift the 1983 French Open. Since then, not one male tennis player from the country has been able to replicate Noah’s feat.
It’s fair to say that the French Open has not been a great tournament for France’s male tennis stars. Year after year, we see a number of talented French players enter the tournament with great hope but hardly any of them remain in the fray by the time the second week commences.
This is especially true for Richard Gasquet. Once touted as the next Roger Federer, the 29-year-old has failed to kick on from his impressive career start. He has, though, tasted victory at Roland Garros winning the mixed doubles title in 2004 but has failed to make it to the singles quarter-final even once on his home turf.
The other big name amongst French tennis players is Jo Wilfried-Tsonga. The burly 31-year-old rose to fame with an astonishing run to the finals of the 2008 Australian Open but has failed to kick on and really make a mark on world tennis. He still is the highest ranked French tennis player at number seven who made it to the semi-finals last year. This time, he would be hoping to go one better.
The other French players in the fray include Benoit Paire, Jeremy Chardy, Gilles Simon, Stephane Robert and Pierre-Hugues Herbert but if any one of these goes on to win the tournament, it will be the biggest shock in the history of French Open.
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