The ball’s in their court

As clay season comes to a close, the stage is set for an epic showdown between the world’s top tennis players as they battle it out on the hallowed grounds of Roland Garros at the French Open (22 May to 5 June), the second Grand Slam of the year. Chief Sub-Editor Godwin Ng picks three men and women contenders for the Coupe des Mousquetaires and Coupe Suzanne Lenglen.

Serena Williams

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AFTER putting together a majestic 2015 season where she won three consecutive slams, the current world No. 1 has looked like a shadow of her former self, failing to win a title in nearly nine months. Her trademark competitive mettle seems to have taken a beating since her calendar-year Grand Slam attempt was thwarted by Roberta Vinci in New York last year, with shocking losses this year to Angelique Kerber and Svetlana Kuznetsova at her beloved Australian Open and Miami Open respectively. But there’s nothing Williams relishes more than proving her doubters wrong. If the defending women’s singles champion can shake off the sluggish footwork and serving woes that have plagued her 2016 so far, it could be a historic slam No. 22 for the greatest player.

Novak Djokovic

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THE Serbian world No. 1 has held on to the top spot with an iron grip since 2014, amassing a near-unassailable lead in the rankings. But just as he was looking increasingly invincible, an unexpected loss to journeyman Jiri Vesely in Monte Carlo was a timely reminder that anything can happen in the topsy-turvy world of tennis. Having conquered Melbourne, London and New York, Djokovic only needs the French to complete a career Grand Slam but was unable to rise to the occasion last year, stumbling at the final hurdle against Stanislas Wawrinka. With his legacy on the line, Djokovic must block out that nightmare loss and will need nerves of steel if he is to go one step further and win slam number 12.

Angelique Kerber

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WHILE Kerber has long been a tricky opponent at the slams, she never managed to put it all together until her fairytale run Down Under in January, where she toppled her nemeses Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams en route to the title. Her dogged defence, combined with a crafty lefty game and breathtaking shot-making ability, makes her an all-round threat on clay with few weaknesses to exploit. At the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious clay warm- ups on the women’s tour, Kerber defended her title easily, staking her claim as a legitimate clay contender. Now armed with the self-belief previously lacking from her game, she is riding a wave of confidence that could see her be the final female standing at the end of the fortnight.

Rafael Nadal

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IT CAN be hard to wrap one’s head around the utter dominance of Nadal in Paris. He picked up the title on his very first attempt back in 2005, won it another eight times since and has lost just twice in past 11 years. Nadal’s topspin-heavy game is a match made in heaven with the slow, high-bounc- ing courts of Roland Garros and his winning percentage at the French — a mind-boggling 97.2 — easily makes him the best clay-courter to ever step foot on red dirt. While nagging knee injuries have threatened to derail his career, his return to winning ways this year in Monte Carlo and Barcelona over quality opponents such as Gael Monfils and Kei Nishikori proved that Nadal still has what it takes to be the king of clay.

Victoria Azarenka

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BEGINNING the year outside the top 20, the Belarusian has bounced back into the top five and is unquestionably the best female player at the midway mark of the season, with a tour-leading three titles under her belt and a jaw-dropping 24-1 win-loss record. The former world No. 1 and two-time Slam champion looked every bit the part during her triumphant runs in Brisbane, Indian Wells and Miami, but may struggle to replicate her hard court dominance on clay. There, her strengths — lightning-quick returns and relentless baseline rallying — will be neutralised and her average movement, severely tested. But with Belgian coach Wim Fissette, who led Simona Halep to the 2014 final, in her box, Azarenka may have finally found the missing piece to her Parisian puzzle.

Stanislas Wawrinka

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IF THERE’S one thing Wawrinka does better than any of his contemporaries, it’s being the underdog. Twice, the two-time slam winner faced off against more accomplished rivals in slam finals and on both occasions, he pulled off stunning upsets in spectacular fashion. At his best, Wawrinka can outhit, outplay and outserve anyone, as Novak Djokovic, who played second fiddle to him in last year’s final, can attest. Although the defending champion’s form has slipped slightly compared to last year, he remains the only player to consistently challenge the hegemony of the Big Four and his big match temperament still makes him a dangerous wildcard that no player will want to see beside their name in the draw.