Tennis Gonzalez Chile
French Open Preview: Nadal is re-Slay The Clay
The second Grand Slam tournament of the 2006 tennis season is here, as the French Open begins on Sunday in Paris.
The French Open is the crown jewel of the clay court season, and have assembled the best players in the world to its skills and patience on the to test slow red clay of Roland Garros Stadium.
Here's a look at the contenders, sleepers and long shots in the men's and women's draw.
- Overall records are from 05/20/2006
** Betting on 05/26/2006
Men's Draw
Contenders
Rafael Nadal – Spain
Tournament seed: # 2
Full Year 2006 Record: 28-3
2006 clay court record: 17-0
French Open career record: 7-0
Best French Open finish: Winner – 2005
WagerWeb.com chances of winning the title: 5 / 6
The 2005 French Open champion, is the undisputed king Nadal the sound, won 53 games directly on the surface, binding of the Open-era record set by Guillermo Vilas in 1977. The young Spaniard easily won the clay court events in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Hamburg, lost only six sets in the process. Nadal's dominance on clay has three straight wins against the world # 1 Roger Federer. This year's French Open is Nadal to lose, and given his current hot streak on clay of the "smart money" will be on it.
Roger Federer – Switzerland
Tournament seed: # 1
Full Year 2006 Record: 38-3
2006 clay court record: 10-2
French Open career record: 14-7
Best French Open Date: Semi-finals – 2005
WagerWeb.com chances of winning the title: 19/10
Federer is the consensus # 1 player in the world and has been dominant this year, won four titles and the creation of a 38-3 record. His only losses have to Nadal in the final in Dubai (hard court), Monte Carlo (clay) and Rome (clay) have been. Federer is more and more comfort playing on clay and has begun to address the gap between him and Nadal narrow. In their previous meeting in Rome held Federer 4-1 lead in the fifth set before losing in a tie-break. If anyone in the tournament has a serious chance to dethrone defending champion Nadal, Federer it is.
David Nalbandian – Argentina
Tournament Seed # 3
Full Year 2006 Record: 24-6
2006 clay court record: 11-3
French Open career record: 11-4
Best French Open Date: Semifinal – 2005
WagerWeb.com chances of winning the title: 25 / 1
Nalbandian is an established clay court player and sports a 11-3 record on clay this year. He won the tournament in Estoril May without a sentence against Nikolai Davydenko in the final. Nalbandian reached the semifinals in Rome, losing a third set tie-break for Roger Federer. Nalbandian made a run for the French Open semifinals in 2004 and has run the game to make a serious this year.
Sleepers
Tommy Robredo – Spain
Tournament seed: # 7
Full Year 2006 Record: 20-13
2006 clay court record: 13-3
French Open career record: 16-5
Best French Open Date: Quarter-finals – 2003, 2005
Wagerweb.com chances to win the title: 75 / 1
Robredo started the year with a disappointing 7-8 record in the early hard court tournaments, including four first round losses and two second round losses. However, he has turned his game around on clay, winning the event in Hamburg and reached the quarterfinals in Monte Carlo and loses in the final in Barcelona Nadal. If Robredo is able to continue his recent play, he could go in the draw in Paris deeply.
Fernando Gonzalez – Chile
Tournament seed: # 9
Full Year 2006 Record: 17-9
2006 clay court record: 13-4
French Open career record: 9-5
Best French Open Date: Quarter-finals, 2003
Wagerweb.com chances to win the title: 70 / 1
Gonzalez, a clay court specialist, has good results in early season Clay court tournaments, reached the semi-finals including in Vina del Mar and Monte Carlo. However, like its present form a little, as he lost in the quarterfinals and Nadal in Rome in the round of 16 in Hamburg. Gonzalez has proven that he win on clay, and he would be a dangerous opponent for anyone in the draw.
Gaston Gaudio – Argentina
Tournament seed: # 10
Full Year 2006 Record: 15-10
2006 clay court record: 13-7
French Open career record: 18-7
Best French Open finish: Winner – 2005
Wagerweb.com chances to win the title: 65 / 1
Gaudio, the 2004 French Open champion, is a threat to all clay court event to win it occurs. However, his recent form on clay has not been up to par with his usual high standards. He lost in the first Lap in the second round in Rome, Hamburg and the round of 16 in Vina del Mar, Costa do Sauipe (Brazil). Gaudio did reach the quarter-finals in Valencia, beat Nadal in the semi-finals Monte Carlo. His game has been sporadic to bet on a long march through the draw.
Long shots
James Blake – USA
Tournament Seed: # 8
Full Year 2006 Record: 24-11
2006 clay court record: 2-3
French Open career record: 3-3
Best French Open Date: Second Round, 2002, 2003, 2005
Wagerweb.com chances to win the title: (Field) 50 / 1
Blake has reached # 8 in the world ranking and has won hard-court tournaments in Sydney and Las Vegas this year. He also reached the final in Indian Wells, where he lost Federer. Blake has played in only three clay court tournaments this year and his best result was the Reach the third round in Hamburg. With a favorable draw and some luck, Blake reached the second week in Paris.
Juan Carlos Ferrero – Spain
Tournament seed: # 24
Full Year 2006 Record: 13-11
2006 clay court record: 10-7
French Open career record: 26-5
Best French Open finish: Winner – 2003
Wagerweb.com chances to win the title: 115 / 1
Ferrero, the 2003 French Open champion, has struggled mightily in the 2006 clay court season the deployment of a mediocre 10-7 record. He has more clay court titles to his credit, and as the last French Open champion, Ferrero was never excluded from the mixture be.
David Ferrer – Spain
Tournament seed: # 15
Full Year 2006 Record: 18-13
2006 clay court record: 7-5
French Open Career record: 6-3
Best French Open Date: Quarter-finals – 2005
Wagerweb.com chances to win the title: 70 / 1
Ferrer is a young, aspiring Spaniards, he exhibited a force to be reckoned with sound on needs. He reached the quarterfinals in Hamburg, losing to Robredo, and lost in the quarterfinals of Monte Carlo to Federer. Like the other members of the Spanish Armada, Ferrer is most comfortable on the slow clay courts, and he was a spoiler in the bunch.
Women's Draw
Contenders
Amelie Mauresmo – France
Tournament seed: # 1
Full Year 2006 Record: 27-6
2006 clay court record: 4-2
French Open Career Record: 19-11
Best French Open Date: Quarter-finals – 2003, 2004
Wagerweb.com chances of winning the title: 6.25 / 1
Mauresmo began 2006 with a bang by capturing the Australian Open, and she followed with tournament victories in Paris (carpet) and Antwerp (carpet). She selected only in a clay court tournament play before the French Open, lost in the semi-final in Berlin on Justine Henin-Hardenne. For Mauresmo, the French Open is the most important tournament of the year, and the pressure play the winner of their country Grand Slam tournament she has adversely affected in recent years. Mauresmo can overcome the weight of the French nation rests directly on their shoulders? to overcome with such a deep field, and with the overwhelming expectations of her compatriots, I would not win the bet on Mauresmo Tournament.
Justine Henin-Hardenne – Belgium
Tournament seed: # 5
Full Year 2006 Record: 27-5
2006 clay court record: 6-1
French Open Career record: 21-4
Best French Open Date: winner – 2003, 2005
Wagerweb.com chances of winning the title: 2.35 / 1
Henin-Hardenne is defending French Open champion and comes in the 2006 tournament with an impressive 27-5 record. She has won two tournaments this year (Sydney and Dubai) and in the final of the Australian Open to Mauresmo lost. In her only clay court tournament of the year, Henin-Hardenne beat Nadia Petrova in the semi final. Henin-Hardenne is a legitimate threat as a Champion be repeated at Roland Garros.
Kim Clijsters – Belgium
Tournament seed: # 2
Full Year 2006 Record: 15-5
2006 clay court record: 6-2
French Open career record: 17-5
Best French Open finish: Finalist – 2001, 2003
Wagerweb.com chances of winning the title: 2.15 / 1
Clijsters has had mixed results during this year's clay court season, winning the tournament in Warsaw, but lose in the round of 16 in Rome. If Clijsters is healthy, they can beat anyone. However, their health and longevity have come into question. During the Australian Open when she was forced out of their semi-final against Mauresmo with a torn ankle ligament retirement. Clijsters overcame a career-threatening wrist injury, which causes them to miss a majority of the 2004 season. The French Open, more than any other Grand Slam event is a test of endurance and Clijsters' tendency to degradation might be a problem.
Nadia Petrova – Russia
Tournament seed: # 3
Full Year 2006 Record: 33-7
2006 clay court record: 15-1
French Open career record: 15-5
Best French Open Finish: Finalist – semi-finals – 2003, 2005
Wagerweb.com chances of winning on the track: 6 / 1
Petrova has emerged as a force on the WTA Tour, winning four Tournaments and compiling a 33-7 match record. It has to be a dominant clay court player, as we established a stellar 15-1 record in the dirt. Petrova won the clay court events in Amelia Iceland, Charleston and Berlin, where she beat Henin-Hardenne in the final. With her clay court title and a win over 2005 French Open champion Henin-Hardenne, my Petrova favorite to win the tournament.
Sleepers
Maria Sharapova – Russia
Tournament seed: # 4
Full Year 2006 Record: 21-4
2006 clay court record: 0-0
French Open career record: Quarter-finals – 2004, 2005
Best French Open Date: 03.08
Wagerweb.com chances on the track win: 14 / 1
Under normal circumstances Sharapova as one of the favorites of the tournament would be listed. However, she has not a match on clay in this Years played when she was forced to withdraw from the tournament in Rome with a bruised right ankle. Sharapova has all the shots to a force in Roland Garros, and has proven they can win the Grand Slam stage with her victory at Wimbledon in 2004. But playing their lack of match practice on clay and questions about her fitness to reduce their chances to win.
Martina Hingis – Switzerland
Tournament seed: # 12
Full Year 2006 Record: 31-10
2006 clay court record: 10-2
French Open Career Record: 31-7
Best French Open finish: Finalist – 1997, 1999
Wagerweb.com chances of winning the title: 9.5 / 1
In one of the most remarkable Comebacks of the year, has returned from a three-year absence, Hingis again become a force in women's tennis. apparently with the foot and ankle problems behind her, Hingis has compiled a 31-10 record, including a 10-2 mark on clay. Hingis lost in the quarter-finals in Berlin to Mauresmo, but came back to win the Italian Open in dominating fashion, drop a set in six matches. Hingis' win in Rome curved back in dispute over the only Grand Slam title that has deprived her to win.
Dinara Safina – Russia
Tournament Seed: # 14
Full Year 2006 Record: 24-11
2006 clay court record: 10-3
French Open career record: 1-3
Best French Open end: 2 Round – 2004
Wagerweb.com chances of winning on the track: 27.5 / 1
Safina has quickly made a name for himself on the clay court circuit, posting a 10-3 record this year. She reached the quarterfinals of the tournament in Charleston and Berlin, and then reached the final of the tournament in Rome, where they registered impressive Victory over Clijsters, Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova before losing to Hingis in the final. If you could think of driving a player on a hot streak Safina a good bet.
Long Shots
Venus Williams – USA
Tournament seed: # 11
Full Year 2006 Record: 6-3
2006 clay court record: 6-2
French Open career record: 27-9
Best French Open finish: Finalist – 2002
Wagerweb.com chances of winning the title: 16 / 1
Williams has played a very limited schedule in 2006 because of a right elbow injury. She returned to the Tour in Warsaw and lost in the quarter finals Kuznetsova, and then reached the Semi-finals in Rome, where they lost Hingis. Williams dominated the power from both sides on clay, and if they could stay healthy in a deep tournament.
Svetlana Kuznetsova – Russia
Tournament seed: # 8
Full Year 2006 Record: 29-9
2006 clay court record: 13-5
French Open career record: 6-3
Best French Open Date: Fourth round – 2004, 2005
Wagerweb.com chances of winning the title: 10 / 1
Kuznetsova has enjoyed a solid clay court season and the quarter-finals in Charleston and Berlin, reached the semi-finals in Amelia Iceland and Rome, losing in the final in Berlin to Clijsters. It has the ability to top-tier player in large Tournaments hit show, but has also suffered some bad defeats to lower-ranked players. If the same kind of tennis that she is driven to the 2004 U.S. Open title can produce, is a possible deep into the tournament.
About the Author
Rich Carlson
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
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