FRANCE: TENNIS: French Open favourites talk about their preparations before the start of the Grand slam tournament

Record ID: 1531815

  • Title: FRANCE: TENNIS: French Open favourites talk about their preparations before the start of the Grand slam tournament
  • Date: 21st May 2011
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF WORLD NUMBER ONE RAFAEL NADAL PLAYING SPECTATORS WATCHING WARM UP UNDERWAY SPECTATORS
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2011 16:22
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France, France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA9RDQQN4EERUK6HFXA9L052MRL
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Tennis favourites and top seeds are preparing on Friday (May 20) for the French Open which starts on Sunday (May 22).
    World number one Rafael Nadal is expecting strong opposition from Novak Djokovic, the in-form Serbian who has won his last 37 games, beating both Nadal and Roger Federer. Djokovic is looking for his first French Open title.
    British player Andy Murray had a strong match against Djokovic in Rome and said waiting for the moment would be key for a victory in Paris.
    "Patience I think, you know, that's what I did well in Monte Carlo and in Rome especially when I played Rafa (Nadal) and Novak (Djokovic), you know, I was waiting for the right moments to go for my shots and being willing to play twenty, thirty shot rallies which sometimes in the past I hadn't been and that's something that is going to be really important for me here because I feel that I can play well on clay, my game suits it well, I just have to have the right mind set going in," he said.
    World number two Novak Djokovic's route to a maiden title at Roland Garros and the world number one ranking could be a hazardous one following Friday's draw, but the Serb seemed confident about his game, saying the last five months had been the best time of his career.
    "I know there is a lot of, obviously, pressure and expectations that come with it but I handle it much better, I think I'm a better player in general on the court, I'm more matured, mentally I know what to do and I have a lot of self-belief," he said.
    Russian Maria Sharapova's victory in Rome last week has marked her out as a serious title contender at the French Open.
    "I've just had a quick look at the draw, I've never faced my opponent before so, you know heading into the first round of a Grand Slam it's always challenging when you haven't played your opponent before but, yeah, I just have to go out there, you know and bring the form that I played with in Rome and bring it over to Paris," Sharapova said.
    Belgian Kim Clijsters was a major doubt for the tournament after injuring her ankle while stumbling at her cousin's wedding two months ago but has recovered in the nick of time.
    Clijsters will not have played a match in almost two months when she returns at the French Open but if anyone can make a big impression after a lengthy absence the Belgian can.
    "I still wear a tape of course but I feel I can move well and I'm playing good so, you know, that's the most important thing and now it's just a matter of getting settled into my own game on clay," she said.
    A rested Roger Federer is expected to come out swinging when he begins his French Open campaign. He said the clay courts would be a challenge, but nothing that couldn't take getting used to.
    "We've had enough clay court tennis the last couple of weeks, I guess the sliding is always one thing you have got to get just a touch used to especially coming from eight months of hard courts, I think that makes it harder to just get back on the clay courts," Federer said.
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