Roland Garros 2018: Rafael Nadal is the favorite, but these 5 players can challenge him

Everybody knows that Roland Garros is Rafael Nadal's territory. The man who has won 10 of the last 12 French Opens he has played in, starts as the overwhelming favorite this year too.

Nadal's dominance in Paris is so absurd and complete that the casual tennis fan does not even bother to think about the potential challengers. However, upsets do happen in sport and the neutral tennis lover would certainly hope to see one.

On that note, we take a look at the potential challengers to Nadal’s throne this year.

1. Dominic Thiem

Dominic Thiem, semifinalist at the 2017 French Open, is also the heir apparent to Thomas Muster’s Austrian tennis legacy. He is likely to win titles at Roland Garros in the years to come. However, one cannot rule out this youngster achieving that feat in 2018 itself.

For that to happen, he would have to improve his serve and backhand a bit. Thiem has the legs to survive epic 5-set matches and the heart to go through the clay court ordeal. He has a superb return too. Those qualities make him almost a sure bet to make it to the semis at least.

Thiem lost very badly to Nadal in Monte Carlo recently, but a Grand Slam is a different thing altogether. If I am asked to pick anybody aside from Nadal to win the French this year, I would probably choose Thiem.

He would, however, have to improve his big match temperament.

Career head to head against Nadal: 2-6

2018 win-loss record: 17-4

2. Fernando Verdasco

Fernando Verdasco

The veteran Spaniard might just want to have a last shot at claiming the much elusive title. He definitely has the game suited for the grind of clay and his forehand cross-court is among the best in the business.

Verdasco's groundstrokes, especially his forehands, have a tendency to wear the opponent down. But his backhand is definitely not as good, and his tendency to commit unforced errors does not help his cause either.

Verdasco is not having a great 2018, but his experience could prove to be useful in Paris. With a kind draw he could make it to the quarterfinal this year, but to achieve anything beyond that, he would have to exceed himself.

He would definitely have to commit less unforced errors and make his game more disciplined. He would also have to add more accuracy to his down-the-line forehand.

Career head to head against Nadal: 3-16

2018 win-loss record: 11-9

3. Stan Wawrinka

Stan Wawrinka

“Stan the Man” is a former champion at Roland Garros and also last year’s finalist. Boasting of a single handed backhand as potent as that of Gustavo Kuerten or Richard Gasquet, Wawrinka is a multiple Grand Slam winner who is often overshadowed by his more illustrious compatriot.

Wawrinka's court coverage and overall base-line game are pretty solid. He demonstrated his ability on clay again last year when he beat Andy Murray in an incredible match.

Injuries have been a deterrent to him this year, but if he manages to stay fit and adds a bit more intensity to his game, there is no reason why he should not be able to match, if not better, last year’s feat.

Wawrinka has lived in Federer's shadow at times but that does not take away from the fact that he is a very good player himself. He has the experience of winning big matches too.

Career head to head against Nadal: 3-16

2018 win-loss record: 4-4

4. Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev

Probably the most talented youngster in tennis, Zverev has a game that is not particularly suited for clay. However, this tall, big-serving lad from Germany has it in him to cause a few upsets and advance to the latter stages of the tournament.

Zverev can hit some glorious groundstrokes from the baseline, but he does need to improve his athleticism a touch. Despite that, Zverev's record on clay is pretty impressive. Even on a slower surface, his lethal serve and groundstrokes could prove to be dangerous for any opponent.

He would, however, have to work on improving his court coverage. Moreover, he is yet to win a match against Nadal.

Career head to head against Nadal: 0-4

2018 win-loss record: 14-6

5. Kei Nishikori

Kei Nishikori

The lone Asian man seriously in contention, Nishikori made it to the Monte Carlo Masters final last week before losing badly to Nadal.

He is a pretty consistent performer and regularly makes it to the last 8 of the Major tournaments. However, in order to go beyond that, he would have to improve his killer instinct and big-match temperament.

Nishikori has an excellent backhand; his cross-court groundstrokes are particularly special. His court-coverage and athleticism are very good too. However, his forehand is not as lethal and he often tends to commit errors on crucial points.

Nishikori needs to improve upon those aspects and if he is able to do so, there is no reason why he can't challenge for the title.

Career head to head against Nadal: 2-10

2018 win-loss record: 9-4