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FRENCH OPEN '17: No. 1 Angelique Kerber 0-7 vs top-20 foes

Posted May 27, 2017 7:00 am

By HOWARD FENDRICH

FILE - In this May 20, 2017, file photo, Simona Halep eyes the ball during her semifinal match against Kiki Bertens at the Italian Open tennis tournament, in Rome. Halep will be competing in the French Open. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File) The Associated Press

PARIS (AP) - Women to watch at the French Open, where play begins Sunday:

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ANGELIQUE KERBER

Ranked: 1

Age: 29

Country: Germany

2017 Match Record: 19-12

2017 Singles Titles: 0

Career Singles Titles: 10

Major Titles: 2 - Australian Open ('16), U.S. Open ('16)

Last 5 French Opens: '16-Lost in 1st Round, '15-3rd, '14-4th, '13-4th, '12-QF

Aces: A year ago, came off first Grand Slam title in Australia and promptly exited in first round at Roland Garros. ... In nine French Open appearances, only once made it as far as the quarterfinals.

Topspin: She has never quite been able to get going in the right direction this season, certainly looking little like a No. 1 player, and not much reason to suspect she'll get things straightened out in Paris. One indication of her problems in 2017: an 0-7 record vs. top-20 opponents. She was 24-9 in such matches last season.

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KAROLINA PLISKOVA

Ranked: 3

Age: 25

Country: Czech Republic

2017 Match Record: 27-8

2017 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 5

Major Titles: 0 - Best: RU, U.S. Open ('16)

Last 5 French Opens: '16-1st, '15-2nd, '14-2nd, '13-1st, '12-1st

Aces: Career record of 2-5 at Roland Garros. ... Leads the WTA this season by a large margin in aces with 221.

Topspin: That terrific serve that carried her to her first Grand Slam final, in New York in September, including a win over Serena Williams, won't be as effective on red clay. Still, she has the strokes to go deep at any major tournament.

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SIMONA HALEP

Ranked: 4

Age: 25

Country: Romania

2017 Match Record: 18-6

2017 Singles Titles: 1

Career Singles Titles: 15

Major Titles: 0 - Best: RU, at French Open ('14)

Last 5 French Opens: '16-4th, '15-2nd, '14-RU, '13-1st, '12-1st

Aces: 12-2 record during European clay-court circuit made her one of favorites heading to Paris, but that was called into doubt by a torn ligament in her right ankle.

Topspin: A smart but streaky player who swings from contending for titles to quick exits. Biggest question mark for her at Roland Garros will be the state of her ankle, because movement is a big part of her game.

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GARBINE MUGURUZA

Ranked: 5

Age: 23

Country: Spain

2017 Match Record: 17-10

2017 Singles Titles: 0

Career Singles Titles: 3

Major Titles: 1 - French Open ('16)

Last 5 French Opens: '16-Won Championship, '15-QF, '14-QF, '13-2nd, '12-Did Not Play

Aces: Defending a major title for the first time. ... Injured her neck at the Italian Open.

Topspin: Speaks openly about dealing with the expectations and pressures of being a Grand Slam champion. Will the lack of confidence she occasionally demonstrates on court be as much of a hindrance as whatever lingering physical problems she might have at Roland Garros?

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ELINA SVITOLINA

Ranked: 6

Age: 22

Country: Ukraine

2017 Match Record: 31-6

2017 Singles Titles: 4

Career Singles Titles: 8

Major Titles: 0 - Best: QF, French Open ('15)

Last 5 French Opens: '16-4th, '15-QF, '14-2nd, '13-2nd, '12-DNP

Aces: Leads tour in titles with four, including on red clay at the Italian Open. ... Won French Open junior title at age 15.

Topspin: Among the best returners around - she ranks third on tour this year, winning 48.4 percent of opponents' service games - and as in-form as anyone at the moment, she appears to be as likely as anyone to make a breakthrough in Paris.

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JOHANNA KONTA

Ranked: 8

Age: 26

Country: Britain

2017 Match Record: 21-6

2017 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 3

Major Titles: 0 - Best: SF, Australian Open ('16)

Last 5 French Opens: '16-1st, '15-1st, '14-DNP, '13-DNP, '12-DNP

Aces: Went only 2-3 at Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome this season. ... Among players with 10 or more matches in 2017, ranks No. 1 on tour by winning 80.5 percent of her service games. ... Fifth in total aces with 124.

Topspin: Talented player who was the surprise of last season, but her clay-court game needs work. The slow surface dulls her dangerous serve and she's never won a match in the French Open's main draw.

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VENUS WILLIAMS

Ranked: 11

Age: 36

Country: United States

2017 Match Record: 17-6

2017 Singles Titles: 0

Career Singles Titles: 49

Major Titles: 7 - Wimbledon ('00, '01, '05, '07, '08), U.S. Open ('00, '01)

Last 5 French Opens: '16-4th, '15-1st, '14-2nd, '13-1st, '12-2nd

Aces: This will be her 20th appearance at the French Open. ... Tuned up by reaching the quarterfinals in Rome.

Topspin: Hasn't been as far as the quarterfinals in Paris since 2006; was the runner-up to her sister Serena in 2002. But her runner-up finish at the Australian Open in January shows she still can summon up the big hitting that carried her to the top of the game.

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Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

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More AP tennis coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-Tennis

FILE - In this March 29, 2017, file photo, Venus Williams tries to return a shot against Angelique Kerber during a quarterfinal match at the Miami Open tennis tournament, in Key Biscayne, Fla. Venus Williams will be competing in the French Open. (AP Photo/Mario Houben, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this March 28, 2017, file photo, Karolina Pliskova hits a return to Mirjana Lucic-Baroni during the Miami Open tennis tournament, in Key Biscayne, Fla. Pliskova will be competing in the French Open. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) The Associated Press

FILE - At left, in a March 13, 2017, file photo, Angelique Kerber returns a shot during her match against Pauline Parmentier at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, in Indian Wells, Calif. At right, in a May 19, 2017, file photo, Garbine Muguruza returns the ball during a quarterfinal match against Venus Williams at the Italian Open tennis tournament, in Rome. Kerber and Muguruza will be competing in the French Open. (AP Photo/File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this April 1, 2017, file photo, Johanna Konta serves to Caroline Wozniacki during the woman's singles final at the Miami Open tennis tournament, in Key Biscayne, Fla. Konta will be competing in the French Open. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2017, file photo, Elina Svitolina runs to make a forehand return to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova during a third round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia.Â Svitolina is competing in the French Open. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this June 4, 2016, file photo, Garbine Muguruza holds the trophy after winning the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament against Serena Williams, in Paris, France. Muguruza will be competing in the French Open. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this May 21, 2017, file photo, Elina Svitolina kisses the trophy after winning the women's final match against Simona Halep at the Italian Open tennis tournament, in Rome. Svitolina will be competing in the French Open. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) The Associated Press

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