Nadal wary of threat Djokovic poses to his French Open title hopes

Romanian Halep will be looking to end her wait for a first Grand Slam title after three previous final defeats, including past year at Roland Garros by Jelena Ostapenko and in February’s Australian Open against Caroline Wozniacki.

Will it be enough to finally lift a Grand Slam trophy after finishing runner-up three times at majors?

Pictured: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal poses with Latvia’s tennis player Jelena Ostapenko (R) after the official draw ceremony for the Roland Garros 2018 French Tennis Open in Paris, May 24, 2018. Nadal was forced to miss Indian Wells and Miami, only returning for the clay court swing.

Nadal, himself only recently back from a hip injury, went on to win in Rome and begins his French Open campaign against Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov.

“I think there were some demonstrations and some trains were not running (but the) crowds were quite good, everybody seemed to get to the tennis, it was a good event”.

Asked if he felt ready to compete in Paris, he said: “At this stage”.

“Of course, Rafa will be the favourite there, there’s no question about it”.

“There are a couple of others coming around the block, but I wouldn’t even name them because, in my eyes, if Rafa stays healthy, injury free, I don’t see anybody taking it but him”. “So, that’s a good thing”.

World number one Rafael Nadal reflects on his superlative return to tennis after a troubled start to the year. “I had some good results also on clay and some good wins”. I do not know why but I feel the victor will be unbelievable this year in the men’s box. “I’m number 3 in the world right now”. “But right now, he’s in control of me”.

La Coupe des Mousquetaires awaits the men’s champion, while the women’s victor will hold La Coupe Suzanne Lenglen aloft. The French Open takes place from May 27 to June 10.

Australian Rosewall took away 15,000 French Francs (around $3,000 at 1968 exchange rates), while American Nancy Richey was unable to take the women’s first prize of around $1,250 as she was still an amateur.

“I had three chances, you never know when the luck is [coming]”, said Halep, who was beaten in the Australian Open final this year, and lost her first final at Roland Garros to Maria Sharapova in 2014. “If you are suffering you know how to value it, how to enjoy it”.

“That is very important against him on clay…”

The Serb will have to fend off competition from Thiem and especially Zverev, who had Nadal on the ropes in the final of the Italian Open but inclement weather played spoilsport as the Spaniard was able to use the break between play due to rain to win the last five games of the deciding set and win the tie.

A 2016 French Open final rematch against Garbine Muguzura could follow in the quarterfinals before a meeting with current No. 1 Simona Halep in the last four.