Topic: French Open 2012 - Final Pre-tournament Take

[Start da Game]

what's your very first take on 2012 french open? who in your opinion is the top favourite men's singles player going into this tournament? the question looks simple but answering it may not be that simple.......

history beckons for nadal with borg's record on the line and history beckons for djokovic as well with non-calender year grandslam looming large.......with federer as usual in the mix of things at slams and clay being his best surface these days, things could get really interesting once again........murray and del potro will be carrying the hopes of their respective nations.......this slam is going to be the most anticipated in recent times.......

vote and discuss.......

[Tennis4you]

Until someone beats Rafa on the clay at the FO then he is my pick as the favorite.  I think Nole has the only shot, he just needs to get to the finals to see how he does.  Could be epic.

[ashwin#1]

Honestly, for me its way too difficult to predict the winner now !.. a LOT can happen in the 3 months time..however, based on the current form of players, i can think only of nadal or djokovic( assuming, players get no injury).
...my inner mind says Nadal might walk away with the RG 2012.. ..
pressure will be on djokovic b'coz :
1. he's the Hottest player on tour now.
2. He's won all 3 other GS - ( Aus open, Wimbledon & US OPEN)..he would want to complete career GS.
3. He's trying to be the first man since______ to win all 4 GS in a row( if not in order)
4. He's already disclosed to everyone that RG will be his #1 priority..so i am assuming he'll be super-fit by then..
5. can't think of any other..
.although if federer wins, it would make millions happy( including me)

[monstertruck]

I'm no Astro-Predictor, but there's no way in hail I'd bet against Nadal on clay.  Ever.

[medwatt]

what's your very first take on 2012 french open? who in your opinion is the top favourite men's singles player going into this tournament? the question looks simple but answering it may not be that simple.......

history beckons for nadal with borg's record on the line and history beckons for djokovic as well with non-calender year grandslam looming large.......with federer as usual in the mix of things at slams and clay being his best surface these days, things could get really interesting once again........murray and del potro will be carrying the hopes of their respective nations.......this slam is going to be the most anticipated in recent times.......

vote and discuss.......

Creating this thread now can only mean one thing. Nervousness. Since when did predictions for the french open start on February. 

[monstertruck]

....ahhhh, hmmmm, it's the next slam???

[Start da Game]

french open and australian open usually generate a lot of pre tournament talk.......the french open will heat up more than usual this time for all the obvious happenings in the world of tennis.......acapulco and buenos aires should start in another 15 days or so anyway........so we will start rolling out the roland garros discussions as the clay season approaches.......

[Start da Game]

I'm no Astro-Predictor, but there's no way in hail I'd bet against Nadal on clay.  Ever.

i will go with this as well.......it's very hard to take out nadal at the french open no matter who you are.......there's a reason why he has never lost a best of 5 sets match on clay in his career, barring that lone match when he was injured.......

i said that nadal can hang around for 6 hours in a hardcourt best of 5 sets match and 7 hours in a best of 5 sets match on clay.......i was wrong.......he looked good to last for another hour if needed, so make that 7 hours on hardcourts and probably 8 hours on clay if it goes that far.......

it seems like djokovic finally matches nadal in that department but the men's final at the french open is going to be played under the sun.......now rafa can still last for 7 hours in the sun on clay, but can djokovic?



 

[medwatt]

I'm no Astro-Predictor, but there's no way in hail I'd bet against Nadal on clay.  Ever.

i will go with this as well.......it's very hard to take out nadal at the french open no matter who you are.......there's a reason why he has never lost a best of 5 sets match on clay in his career, barring that lone match when he was injured.......

i said that nadal can hang around for 6 hours in a hardcourt best of 5 sets match and 7 hours in a best of 5 sets match on clay.......i was wrong.......he looked good to last for another hour if needed, so make that 7 hours on hardcourts and probably 8 hours on clay if it goes that far.......

it seems like djokovic finally matches nadal in that department but the men's final at the french open is going to be played under the sun.......now rafa can still last for 7 hours in the sun on clay, but can djokovic?



 

Last year Djokovic won more comfortably against Nadal on clay. What Nadal should hope is for an in-form Federer to be in Djokovic's half and then hope he'll knock him out.

[falcon]

^^ Not quite true, you are not taking into consideration five sets on clay against Rafa. Its an all new experience. Also, consider that Rafa will probably be the most worried abt his clay defence. RG he wouldn't want to give up. That means everything and the little bit of mental edge that he posesses too.

[swish]

I heard Djokovic is playing Monte Carlo this year.
Why is the question I have.
Nadal has won there 7 straight times so it seems to me that Djokovic wants to challenge him there.
Could be he wants to get a title in all the masters, Fed holds the masters record with 7 titles out of the 9.

Maybe he wants to gain confidence by taking something valuable from Nadal before RG and further hurt Nadal's mental outlook.

[falcon]

Yes, but it would be wiser from Nole's perspective  to surprise Rafa in the finals of RG  (if both get there) directly than in a pre tournament, I feel Rafa is getting closer to Nole and everytime he plays him, he is going to get stronger.

[Babblelot]

Fed holds the masters record with 7 titles out of the 9.

I don't pay attention to this stuff. Is that a feat that was even attainable by McEnroe or Agassi? Were there always 9 masters shields to win?

[swish]

Fed holds the masters record with 7 titles out of the 9.

I don't pay attention to this stuff. Is that a feat that was even attainable by McEnroe or Agassi? Were there always 9 masters shields to win?

Get into the game man, use the internet and report back with what you find. 
 
 

[foaquin]

At this very moment I'm going with Nadal. After 3 months, I dont know what,s going to happen, maybe Soderling comes back stronger than ever

[Babblelot]

Rafa. He's going to be on more of a mission than Nole. Nole has more game, which will propel him past Rafa on other surfaces, but Rafa has more grit than any man in the history of time.

[sid]

I think this is the year Rafa falls & does not win RG,this just might be the year things change.Djokovic & Murray will be up for the fight & i think one of these guys will take Nadal out this time.Looking forward to the Masters on Clay,this should give us a guide what's going to happen.

[Babblelot]

I think this is the year Rafa falls & does not win RG,this just might be the year things change.Djokovic & Murray will be up for the fight & i think one of these guys will take Nadal out this time.Looking forward to the Masters on Clay,this should give us a guide what's going to happen.

Hate to break this to you, sid, but that year has come and passed. That year was 2009.

[falcon]

I think this is the year Rafa falls & does not win RG,this just might be the year things change.Djokovic & Murray will be up for the fight & i think one of these guys will take Nadal out this time.Looking forward to the Masters on Clay,this should give us a guide what's going to happen.

Murray on clay? I am yet to see him do well there sid, sorry, but Murray is at his best on hard courts and even on hard courts rafa beats him quite convincingly. Clay is an all new area. We know Nole, Rog are the contenders along with Rafa of course. I would put Murray with DelPot, Sod etc. They do well on their day on clay, but will fall down eventually to the real competitors on clay.

[Alex]

I don't know. I (again) have this feeling that Rafa will not win FO this year. not because of Djokovic who might fail too... it would be cool to have someone new to win the tournament... not sure who