FRENCH OPEN: Capsules on men to watch
Men to watch at the French Open, where play begins Sunday:
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NOVAK DJOKOVIC
Ranked: 1
Age: 28 (Turns 29 on Sunday)
Country: Serbia
2016 Match Record: 37-3
2016 Singles Titles: 5
Career Singles Titles: 64
Major Titles: 11 - Australian Open ('08, '11, '12, '13, '15, '16), Wimbledon ('11, '14, '15), U.S. Open ('11, '15)
Last 5 French Opens: '15-Lost in Final, '14-F, '13-SF, '12-F, '11-SF
Topspin: Winning the French Open would give him four consecutive major championships, something no man has done since Rod Laver won a true Grand Slam in 1969. ... Title at Roland Garros would make him eighth man with career Grand Slam. ... Jim Courier in 1992 was last man to win Australian Open, French Open in same year. ... This is 12th appearance at Roland Garros; the most attempts to win the title before doing so is 11. ... 14-1 against top-10 opponents in 2016.
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ANDY MURRAY
Ranked: 2
Age: 29
Country: Britain
2016 Match Record: 22-5
2016 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 36
Major Titles: 2 - Wimbledon ('13), U.S. Open ('12)
Last 5 French Opens: '15-SF, '14-SF, '13-Did Not Play, '12-QF, '11-SF
Topspin: Victory over Novak Djokovic in Italian Open final gave him three clay-court titles in past two seasons and assured him of No. 2 seeding in Paris. ... While his two Grand Slam titles came on faster surfaces - hard courts at the U.S. Open, grass courts at Wimbledon - Murray has shown he can compete with the best on slow clay, including three semifinal runs at Roland Garros in his last four appearances. ... Recently split from coach Amelie Mauresmo; no permanent replacement has been named yet.
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STAN WAWRINKA
Ranked: 4
Age: 31
Country: Switzerland
2016 Match Record: 18-7 (Playing at Geneva this week)
2016 Singles Titles: 2
Career Singles Titles: 13
Major Titles: 2 - French Open ('15), Australian Open ('14)
Last 5 French Opens: '15-Won Championship, '14-1st, 13-QF, '12-4th, '11-4th
Topspin: A year ago, beat Roger Federer in the quarterfinals and Novak Djokovic in the final for his second Grand Slam title. ... Became the first 30-or-older men's champion in Paris since Andres Gomez in 1990. ... Before entering tuneup tournament in Geneva, was only 3-3 on red clay this season and 3-5 in last eight matches overall.
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RAFAEL NADAL
Ranked: 5
Age: 29 (turns 30 on June 3)
Country: Spain
2016 Match Record: 27-8
2016 Singles Titles: 2
Career Singles Titles: 69
Major Titles: 14 - French Open ('05, '06, '07, '08, '10, '11, '12, '13, '14), Wimbledon ('08, '10), U.S. Open ('10, '13), Australian Open ('09)
Last 5 French Opens: '15-QF, '14-W, '13-W, '12-W, '11-W
Topspin: 70-2 career record at Roland Garros. Only losses came in 2009's fourth round against Robin Soderling, and in 2015's quarterfinals against Novak Djokovic. ... Only man with nine trophies from one Grand Slam tournament; only one with five in a row at French Open. ... Career record on clay is 363-34, a .914 winning percentage; 49-9 in clay finals. ... Won at least two European clay-court titles entering French Open in 10 of past 12 years (exceptions were 2014, 2015).
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KEI NISHIKORI
Ranked: 6
Age: 26
Country: Japan
2016 Match Record: 29-9
2016 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 11
Major Titles: 0 - Best: F, U.S. Open ('14)
Last 5 French Opens: '15-QF, '14-1st, '13-4th, '12-DNP, '11-2nd
Topspin: Has firmly established himself as a top-10 player but having trouble breaking through to next level: Past six losses were to Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray or Rafael Nadal. ... Ranks fourth on tour in 2016 in percentage of break points saved, 69.
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MILOS RAONIC
Ranked: 9
Age: 25
Country: Canada
2016 Match Record: 24-6
2016 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 8
Major Titles: 0 - Best: SF, Australian Open ('15), Wimbledon ('14)
Last 5 French Opens: '15-DNP, '14-QF, '13-3rd, '12-3rd, '11-1st
Topspin: Missed last year's French Open after surgery on his right foot. ... Four of his losses this season came against No. 1 Novak Djokovic or No. 2 Andy Murray (twice each) - and the other two came against No. 19 Nick Kyrgios. ... Owner of one of the top serves; leads tour in 2016 in percentage of break points saved (74) and percentage of service games won (90).
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