For the first time in three years, Rafael Nadal will bounce through the Roland Garros gates at the peak of his powers and favorite to take his collection of French Open titles to 10.
The Spaniard, who hits 31 next week, has turned back the clock to sweep through the European clay court. season with titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid and is a daunting obstacle for anyone with genuine title ambitions.
With man-of-the-season Roger Federer sitting it out to focus on Wimbledon defending champion Novak Djokovic just showing signs of finding his mojo and world number one Andy Murray badly out of sorts, Nadal is clear favorite.
Potential challenges could come from a new generation of big hitters such as rising Austrian Dominic Thiem and Germany’s new wunderkind Alexander Zverev, but Nadal looks in the mood to regain his Parisian throne.
