No Grand Slam has crowned more first-time champions than Roland-Garros. Could it happen again this year?
In the men’s game, Roland-Garros was once a breeding ground for first-time Grand Slam champions. From Ken Rosewall in 1968 to Rafael Nadal in 2005, 21 players opened their major accounts on the clay of Paris. Wimbledon, for comparison, crowned just nine in the same period.
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But ever since a 19-year-old Nadal, clad in those famous pirata shorts, flopped to the clay 12 years ago, Philippe-Chatrier Court hasn’t witnessed a single maiden success on the men's side.
The Spaniard is the man to beat once more, but in a year when tennis has reversed its collective clock there will be some talented hopefuls looking to bend the arc of history once more. Here’s a look at those most likely to buck the trend on 11 June…
Alexander Zverev
Moments after the biggest win and title of his career in Rome, with barely enough time for the perspiration to dry, Zverev’s thoughts were already meandering forward.
“I need to keep working hard…”
“I need to keep improving…”
“I can’t stop now…”
“I got to keep focussing…”
Not only is the 20-year-old German, tipped for the top by some of the game’s finest, one of the most polished talents to emerge since the early days of the Big Four, he’s also one of the hardest workers. Make no mistake, Zverev’s win in the Italian capital wasn’t out of the blue. Unexpected, maybe, but it was the natural next step for a youngster who has improved immeasurably since contesting his first ATP World Tour event in 2013.
The serve is now a major weapon, the forehand has improved, the backhand is damaging and, dipping into the bag of sporting clichés, he moves well for a big man. With plenty of tennis in the legs this season, can he do it over seven five-set matches? Let’s find out.
Dominic Thiem
‘Nadal-Thiem: The Trilogy’ was one of the dominant storylines through the clay-court season. Nadal got the better of Thiem in the finals of both Barcelona and Madrid before the Austrian produced the performance of his young career in the quarter-final in Rome, handing the Spaniard his sole loss on the dirt since the turn of the year with a hurricane of powerful groundstrokes.
Thiem’s heavy defeat to Djokovic in the next round will have stung. Still, he arrives in Paris without any major blotches on his formbook since the Tour touched down in Europe: all four losses coming against players in the top 15. That win over Andy Murray in Barcelona shouldn't be forgotten either.
A semi-final appearance at Roland-Garros last year remains his best return at a Grand Slam and if someone is to breakthrough to reach a first final, it will likely be the man from Austria.
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Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios
Beware of Kyrgios.
The Australian has had a sleeper of a clay-court season, playing just two tournaments: Madrid (lost to Nadal in the third round) and Lyon (lost to Nicolas Kicker in his opening match). The death of his grandfather delayed his arrival in Europe and a hip injury hindered his form, but his performances in March cemented his threat as a true Grand Slam contender.
Kyrgios’ talent is undeniable, but it was his grit and determination that shone through in Indian Wells and Miami, where he played a significant part in one of the matches of the year against Roger Federer in the semi-final. In a hostile environment, he went toe-to-toe with one of the all-time greats at the top of his game, producing shots that will live long in the memory of those in attendance.
Focused, patient and enjoying every minute of the contest, Kyrgios looked every bit like a serious challenger. More of the same in Paris and he could be making noise once more.
David Goffin
Still as fresh-faced as when he first burst on the scene at Roland-Garros in 2012, Goffin is starting to come good on the promise he showed during that memorable run to the last 16. After falling in the last round of qualifying that year, he became the first lucky loser in nearly two decades to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam before Federer, his idol, halted his charge.
Goffin continues to get better each season and he enjoyed a typically consistent clay-court campaign, with three of his four losses coming against those in the top 10. The Belgian is extremely difficult to beat; in fact, that’s probably his biggest strength.
But he’s added so much more to his game over the past few years. Not only has he found extra pop behind every shot, he’s becoming more clever, building points around his strengths.
A quarter-finalist here in 2016, anything less would be a disappointment for Belgium’s highest-ever ranked star.
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