- Title: Djokovic could face Nadal in French Open semi-finals
- Date: 20th May 2016
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 20, 2016) (REUTERS) CLAY TENNIS COURT AT ROLAND GARROS VARIOUS OF ROLAND GARROS LOGO SERBIAN TENNIS PLAYER, NOVAK DJOKOVIC SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SERBIAN TENNIS PLAYER, NOVAK DJOKOVIC, SAYING: "It would mean the world to me of course, that's no secret but it's not the end of the world if it doesn't happen this year or if it doesn't happen ever, you know. I need to try and take a different angle of observation of perception of this tournament and everything that I've achieved in my career. Even if I stop playing tennis tomorrow, I mean I have to be proud with all the achievements I've had so far so I don't try to make out of it an obsession, or a tournament that I must win. But of course I'm here with a missions as any other year and I'm not the only player who wants to get his hands on this trophy so I’m going to try my best as I always do." DJOKOVIC LEAVING BRITISH TENNIS PLAYER, ANDY MURRAY, SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH TENNIS PLAYER, ANDY MURRAY, SAYING: "I don't know, to be honest I don't have that feeling that it's my year. I think everyone at the start of the event has the same opportunity but you know, I'm definitely coming in with almost perfect preparation and I played a lot of matches, had good results against the best players so confidence is high and hopefully I can do well." EXTERIORS OF ARENA TENNIS BALL WITH ROLAND GARROS NAME ON IT SPANISH TENNIS PLAYER, RAFAEL NADAL, SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE (English) SPANISH TENNIS PLAYER, RAFAEL NADAL, SAYING OF ROGER FEDERER NOT PLAYING: "Well it's a bad thing for the tournament, for the world of tennis in general, when the best players are playing, the event is better so. It's negative news but the only thing I can say is that I wish him all the best and a fast recovery." EXTERIORS (SOUNDBITE) JAPANESE TENNIS PLAYER, KEI NISHIKORI, SAYING: "You know, I always want to do well in this French open and I think I did well last year and it's getting better and better especially on clay so I hope I can do well on Roland Garros." NISHIKORI SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS U.S. TENNIS PLAYER, SERENA WILLIAMS, SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. TENNIS PLAYER, SERENA WILLIAMS, SAYING: "You know what thing about that I do is I never under estimate anyone and at any point, anyone can show up and be a great player and I have to be ready for that so what can I do?" WILLIAMS LEAVING SPANISH TENNIS PLAYER, GARBINE MUGURUZA AND ROMANIAN TENNIS PLAYER, SIMONA HALEP, SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPANISH TENNIS PLAYER, GARBINE MUGURUZA, SAYING: "I think I'm getting ready as much as I can, practising, trying to be healthy and trying to perform well and from there we'll see. I'm just happy to be here again and the French open is amazing." MUGURUZA LEAVING PEOPLE WALKING OUT OF TENNING STADIUM SECURITY PERSONNEL VARIOUS OF FRENCH TENNIS PLAYER, JO-WILFRIED TSONGA, PLAYING ON COURT (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH TENNIS PLAYER, JO-WILFRIED TSONGA, SAYING: "It's part of the game, no matter what happens, if it's not Rafa (Nadal), it's Novak (Djokovic), if it's not Novak it's Andy Murray, if it's not Andy Murray it's Stan Wawrinka or someone else, so there you go, it's part of the game. I think for me what is really great is to be in front of a French audience again. I hope they will be present and support me so I perform well and if I get to Rafa well I hope the magic will kick in and I'll be able to do something great." PLAYERS ON COURT TENNIS STADIUM
- Embargoed: 4th June 2016 18:24
- Keywords: Tennis French Open Roland Garros draw Djokovic
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Sport,Tennis
- Reuters ID: LVA0054IM3P6N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The draw for the French Open of Roland Garros took place on Friday (May 20) in Paris, scheduling the tennis duels to come for the famous Grand Slam tournament.
World number one Novak Djokovic is on a semi-final collision course with nine-times champion Rafael Nadal.
The Serb, who holds 11 grand slam titles but is still chasing his first win at Roland Garros, will start his campaign against Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun. Nadal has been paired with big-serving Australian Sam Groth.
"It would mean the world to me of course, that's no secret but it's not the end of the world if it doesn't happen this year or if it doesn't happen ever, you know. I need to try and take a different angle of observation of perception of this tournament and everything that I've achieved in my career. Even if I stop playing tennis tomorrow, I mean I have to be proud with all the achievements I've had so far so I don't try to make out of it an obsession, or a tournament that I must win. But of course I'm here with a missions as any other year and I'm not the only player who wants to get his hands on this trophy so I'm going to try my best as I always do," Djokovic said when asked if he would win the French Open this year.
In the other half of the men's draw, second-seeded Briton Andy Murray is on course to meet Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori in the last eight and defending champion and third seed Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals.
Murray has been the standout performer on clay for the past 12 months but world number one Djokovic will be favourite to complete his set of grand slams at this year's French Open.
According to the ATP Performance Zone stats, he has won 85 percent of his matches on the red dust this year and last, more than any other player.
Having been at 70 percent for the first 10 years of his career, the improvement demonstrates just how at home the Briton now feels on a surface he once treated with suspicion.
His victory over Djokovic in Sunday's Italian Open final may have been aided by his opponent's energy levels being drained after a gruelling semi-final win over Kei Nishikori the night before. But it also was a timely statement of intent from the world number two, who recently split with coach Amelie Mauresmo.
Nadal, promoted to fourth seed after Roger Federer pulled out citing fitness concerns, could meet France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals.
"Well it's a bad thing for the tournament, for the world of tennis in general, when the best players are playing, the event is better so... It's negative news but the only thing I can say is that I wish him all the best and a fast recovery," he said about Federer not competing.
In the women's draw, top seed, defending champion and strong favourite Serena Williams takes on Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova in the first round.
The 34-year-old's charge to overhaul Margaret Court's record 24 grand slam singles titles may have stalled since she chalked up major number 21 at last year's Wimbledon.
But after fine-tuning her claycourt game by winning last week's Italian Open she will begin the defence of her French Open title as the strong favourite.
She faces a potential quarter-final against former world number one Victoria Azarenka and last-four clash with German third seed Angelique Kerber, who beat her in this year's Australian Open final.
Others contenders will be Romanian former finalists Simona Halep and Spain's hard-hitting Garbine Muguruza.
Muguruza, a semi-finalist in Rome, does not have the trademark claycourt game, relying on flat, powerful groundstrokes that could however cause damage at Roland Garros, where the showcourts tend to play fast.
French favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will return to the clay court after an injury in his adductor muscles during a training session in early May and pulling out of the Rome Open.
French hopes of lifting the trophy for the first time since Yannick Noah won in 1983 took a hit when former semi-finalist Gael Monfils - a perennial crowd favourite in Paris - pulled out because of a virus.
Tsonga said he had recovered well from his injury and was ready to take on the competition saying he was happy to be able to play but cannot predict if he'll win.
"It's part of the game, no matter what happens, if it's not Rafa (Nadal), it's Novak (Djokovic), if it's not Novak it's Andy Murray, if it's not Andy Murray it's Stan Wawrinka or someone else, so there you go, it's part of the game. I think for me what is really great is to be in front of a French audience again. I hope they will be present and support me so I perform well and if I get to Rafa well I hope the magic will kick in and I'll be able to do something great," he said.
The French Open starts on Sunday and ends on June 5 with the men's final. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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