Pro Tennis Fan

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Will Roger Federer Win Another Grand Slam?

Roger Federer's withdrawal from the French Open ended an incredible run of playing in 65 consecutive grand slams, with the future of the 34-year-old Swiss now firmly in doubt.

A back complaint has been troubling Federer for a number of years, but he has usually opted to play through the pain - after all most top tennis players are usually carrying some form of injury.

But Federer pulled out, explaining in a Facebook post that it would be an "unnecessary risk" for him to play at Roland Garros, where he has featured every year since 1998 and won in 2009.

After winning 17 Grand Slam singles titles there is no doubt that Federer's reputation as one of the finest players of all time - if not the best of the lot - is already secured.

However, the 27-time Grand Slam finalist turns 35 in August and has to face the fact he is coming towards the end of his career.

His choice now is plain: retire while he is still rightly considered one of the best players in the world; or play on for as long as possible and risk sullying his reputation with increasingly poor performances on the big stage.

Fed's glorious forehand remains a work of art, but his footwork and mobility is beginning to let him down. He was given the runaround in embarrassing fashion by talented compatriot Dominic Thiem in his last game, a round-of-16 defeat at the Rome Masters, although Federer insisted he was using the match to test his fitness.

The statement released by Federer had a bullish tone, but perhaps it was telling that he chose to speak directly to his fans on social media rather than face the media at a press conference.

"This decision was not easy to make but I took it to ensure I could play the remainder of the season and help to extend the rest of my career," Federer wrote.

"I remain as motivated and excited as ever and my plan is to achieve the highest level of fitness before returning to the ATP World Tour for the grass-court season."

Federer has made it clear that his aim is to play on and he will be determined to feature at Wimbledon in June, where he has usually produced the best tennis of his career. He intends to play in a warm-up event in Stuttgart to judge his level of preparation.

A 10-time finalist at SW19, Federer has won Wimbledon seven times, although the last of those titles came four years ago.

All the evidence now seems to suggest Federer's days as a Grand Slam champion are over. He has been beaten in three finals since that last triumph at Wimbledon, all to Novak Djokovic, who has raced past Federer to become the undisputed world number one.

While Djokovic's relentless nature and fearsome will to win marks him out as an all-time great, the artistry Federer possesses means many will be hoping he can roll back the years at Wimbledon.

Federer is best-priced at 7/1 to win Wimbledon this year, but perhaps he can take inspiration from Andy Murray.

The Scottish world number two pulled out of the French Open three years ago due to a back problem and went on to record a famous win at the All England Club.

If Federer were to match Murray's success, it would be one of the great comebacks in the history of the sport - and the Swiss will certainly have the backing of the London crowd behind him.

Would French Open Crown Confirm Serena’s Place As The Best Female Star Of The Open Era?

After the disappointment of losing in the final of the year’s first Grand Slam in Australia, US superstar Serena Williams got her French Open title defence off to the perfect start on Tuesday, dropping just two games as she dispatched Magadlena Rybarikova in quick time. And already, the 34-year-old starlet will have her eyes focused on picking up a third title in four years at Roland Garros.

As per Grandslamtournooi.nl, Serena has been considered firm favourite to defend her crown for months. Her positive start, combined with the suspension of nearest rival Maria Sharapova and the early exits of Angelique Kerber, Roberta Vinci and Victoria Azarenka, will only further enhance those feelings that the younger Williams sibling is destined for her fourth career victory in Paris.

A first Grand Slam this year would also see the Michigan-born starlet join Steffi Graf on 22 career titles. Even if she fails at Roland Garros, it seems inevitable that she will overtake the German’s record at some stage while many would back her to even surpass Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24. However, if Serena does register her first Grand Slam of 2016 on June 3^rd, it would be hard to argue against her credentials as the greatest woman to ever pick up a racket.

It’s not simply a case of winning titles; it’s the manner in which she has done it. After all, Serena hasn’t had it easy. The overall standard of women’s tennis in the past 15 years has arguably been higher than any other era, and the World No.1 has had to overcome a number of rivalries to reach, and stay at, the pinnacle.

Serena’s first major challenge, around the turn of the century, was to simply prove that she was the best tennis player in her family. Four consecutive Grand Slam final victories over Venus, starting at the French Open of 2002, cemented her place at the top of the family tree. Aside from her older sister, Williams has also faced competition from the likes of Sharapova, Azarenka, Justine Henin and many others. Whilst she has encountered low moments during her her career, it’s now been the best part of 15 years at the top. That would be an incredible feat in any sport, but in tennis, it’s almost unheard of.

Even Graf only enjoyed a decade of dominance, although she did win one more Grand Slam at Roland Garros almost three years after No.21. However, the German failed to reach a single semi-final in that interluding period. Conversely, Serena has reached at least one final in 15 of the last 16 seasons. For longevity alone, especially at a time where the physical and mental demands are greater than ever, the younger Williams sister stands out on her own.

Her success has worked wonders for the game, particularly due to her authoritative power play on the court. Quite simply, Serena has been the figurehead to lead women’s tennis to the highest place it’s ever been.

There is no doubt that Serena will be regarded as one of the sport’s all-time greats. Not least because her 21 victories have been spread out over all four Grand Slam events. If she does pick up the trophy at Roland Garros, it will complete a career haul of at least four titles at each of the big tournaments, a feat that would see her match Graf.

However, given the her style and achievements for women’s tennis as a whole, it would be hard to argue that Serena doesn’t deserve to be placed on a pedestal of her own. Williams is already amongst tennis royalty. Win at Roland Garros, and she’ll have to be considered the queen.

A Shocker of a French Open Preview

Spoiler alert - this French Open preview ends with Novak Djokovic capturing his maiden and elusive title at Roland Garros. That's right, our shocker of a preview delivers what pretty much every tennis "expert" and fan alike is already expecting to happen in two week's time. So how can we claim that this is somehow a surprise? Here's why...

With a record in Paris of 66-1, any prediction that strongly supports the notion that Rafael Nadal is not going to win the French Open must fall into the category of a shock. This man has won Roland Garros 9 of the past 10 years and I don't care one bit about the struggles he has been experiencing since he won here a year ago, he is still the man when it comes to this tournament. That being said, his reign is about to come to an end due to his recent lapses in confidence along with a world number one who is playing like a man among boys. If you're looking to bet on the French Open, Djokovic is your safest pick (and ours too!)

Here is our full-on French Open preview for you to enjoy and/or dismiss!

First Quarter

Djokovic opens against veteran Jarkko Nieminen. As a former Andre Agassi fan when I was younger I always relish seeing Nieminen lose at the French Open after the way he beat an injured Agassi in his final match at Roland Garros back in 2005. I expect a pretty quick exit for Nieminen in this match and I won't be complaining if that is the case. Djokovic should have a good first few matches with no real clay court threats in his path. Richard Gasquet is seeded 20th and could face Novak in the 4th round but Gasquet has not beaten Djokovic since 2007 so let's be honest here. Then it gets serious for Djokovic. That's because his quarter-final opponent could very well be Rafael Nadal. The match that nearly everyone would want to see in the finals is scheduled to happen two rounds sooner due to Rafa's ranking slide of late. However with the way Nadal has struggled this year, even on clay, there is no guarantee he will even be still standing by the time the quarters roll around. He has potential foes of Dolgopolov or Almagro in round two and Robredo or Dimitrov in the fourth round. Still, Nadal is 15-4 on clay this year which almost anybody else would be happy with. A meeting with Djokovic in the quarters is likely with the winner being the clear favorite moving forward.

Pick: Djokovic

Second Quarter

Andy Murray has had the best clay court season of his career and is 10-0 on red dirt so far this year. Murray was forced to withdraw in Rome due to exhaustion but has certainly overcome that and will be ready to improve on his semi-final result at Roland Garros a year ago. Murray will likely face a tough clay-court player in Joao Sousa in the second round and perhaps rising Australian star Nick Kyrgios in the third. Beyond that, American John Isner would be the highest seed to confront Murray in the fourth round and in the quarters the biggest potential threat for Murray would be the tough-as-nails David Ferrer. Ferrer already has titles on both clay and hard courts this year and while he is a step behind his usual self, he remains a player that nobody wants to face. Murray has never beaten Ferrer on clay in four previous attempts including a 2012 loss here at the French Open. This year however I would give the edge to Murray based on his streak coming in.

Pick: Murray

Third Quarter

Kei Nishikori is the 5th seed and could have a fun match in the third round against Fernando Verdasco. Feliciano Lopez, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Fabio Fognini and the always consistent Tomas Berdych are also in this quarter of the draw. With two wins over Nadal in 2015, Fognini must be feeling pretty confident. Too bad he's such a head case or he might actually have a shot at going deep here this year. Of course now that I write that he will almost certainly prove me wrong and advance to the semi-finals! Nishikori defended his Barcelona clay court title earlier this year but has never done much at Roland Garros where he has yet to advance past the fourth round. Two unseeded players who have a realistic shot of making the quarter-finals are Federico Delbonis and Juan Monaco who can both play real well on this surface. The two play one another in the first round which has 5 sets written all over it. Berdych warrants the best shot of advancing to the semi-finals here but don't expect much more from him. His last four losses this season have come to Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray - aka the "Big Four."

Pick: Berdych

Fourth Quarter

For Roger Federer fans, the excitement of having Djokovic, Murray and Nadal in the other half of the draw must seem almost too good to be true. Roger himself must be pretty pumped-up at the prospect of advancing to the finals here for the first time since 2011. Unfortunately I feel like this draw IS too good to be true especially when I notice that Fed could play Gael Monfils in the fourth round. Neither Federer nor Monfils should be stopped prior to that stage - although with Monfils I suppose you never know. Still, the Frenchman has Roger's number of late in winning three of their last five matches including the past two in-a-row on clay. Stan Wawrinka is also in this quarter as the 8th seed but Stan has been a mess since February this year and I just don't see him putting it together at the moment. 

Pick: Monfils

In two weeks time I'm expecting a Djokovic vs. Insert unpredictable (perhaps shocking) opponent in the finals. Novak will join Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as current players who have won all four Slams and the discussion will rev-up about whether or not the Serb can catch the two more accomplished players in the race for the all-time Grand Slam count.

French Open Coming Soon

With the Australian Open behind us and just a few weeks to go until the French Open, the tennis season is now well under way and we're beginning to get an idea as to how this year could go in both the men's and women's game. The Australian Open always gives tennis fans an indication of how the top players are looking after the short winter break, but the landscape is often a lot different by the time the French Open comes around. While it looks set to be another open tournament for the women at Roland Garros at the end of May, there is a genuine feeling that the men's draw might not be the same one-man show it has been in recent years. So, let's take a closer look at how the favourites are shaping up ahead of this year's French Open.

Women's Draw

Serena Williams: The French Open might be her least successful grand slam but the two-time winner is still 11/4 with betfair and other bookmakers for the title. On the back of winning her sixth Australian Open crown and 19th grand slam title, Serena has started the season in the same form she ended 2014 and the world number one's triumph in Melbourne lay down a marker to the rest of the sport that she is still the best player in the world despite the fact she will turn 34 this year. There might be some very talented youngster coming through but it's no surprise to see Serena still dominating the sport and the American will not want to end her career without adding a third French Open title to her collection.

Simona Halep: She might not have won a grand slam title yet but the 23-year-old has certainly been knocking on the door labelled "major titles" over the past 12 months. Last year was a breakout season for the young Romanian, reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, the final of the French Open and the semi-finals at Wimbledon, and Halep is expected to win that maiden grand slam title in 2015. Her sensational and surprising run in last year's French Open was only ended by an inspired Maria Sharapova in the final, but that experience would have done wonders for Halep and world number three will be a serious contender in this year's tournament.

Maria Sharapova: The world number two has been the dominant force at Roland Garros in recent years. After winning her first French Open title in 2012, Sharapova lost in the 2013 final to Serena Williams. But 12 months later and the Russian was lifting the famous trophy for a second time after a gruelling three-set victory over Simona Halep in the final. The 27-year-old will be looking to reach a fourth straight final at Roland Garros when she returns to Paris at the end of May. Sharapova started this year in encouraging form by reaching the final of the Australian Open, falling at the final hurdle after losing to Serena Williams in straight sets. But Sharapova is certainly deserving of her place among the favourites for this year's tournament and many will be backing her to win a third French Open title.

Victoria Azarenka: It's been a tough year for the Belarusian but Victoria Azarenka is finally getting back to the level she was at when she reached the top of the world rankings in 2012. A foot injury plagued Azarenka throughout 2014, forcing her to miss last year's French Open and playing a big part in the 25-year-old's disappointing season coming to an end in September. The two-time Australian Open champion has looked back to something like her best since the start of the year, though, and Azarenka could be one-to-watch in Paris this summer despite currently residing way out of the top-10.

Men's Draw

Novak Djokovic: Despite being the one grand slam he has never won, Novak Djokovic's sensational form over the past 12 months means it will be the world number one who starts this year's French Open as the slight betting favourite ahead of nine-time champion Rafael Nadal. On the back of winning his fifth Australian Open, Djokovic will now be looking to win the French Open for the first time. With Nadal struggling more and more with injuries and his confidence, Roger Federer nearing the end of his illustrious career and Andy Murray battling form and fitness issues, Djokovic has really established himself as the game's dominant force. But regardless of his position as world number one, the Serbian star will know that he needs to win a French Open crown to complete his grand slam set and really put himself among the greatest players to have ever graced a tennis court.

Rafael Nadal: It seems strange that after winning nine French Open titles in 10 years Rafael Nadal might not start this year's tournament as the firm betting favourite. But whether it's Nadal's continued injury problems or Novak Djokovic's sensational form over the past few years, the betting odds reflect just how close punters feel this year's tournament could be. After missing the 2014 US Open and being forced to end his season early due to injury, it's been a relatively slow start to the year for Nadal since returning to action. But while the world number three might not be heading into this year's French Open in the sort of winning form he would have liked, you'd have to be a brave soul to feel confident that Nadal won't destroy everything in his path on his way to a 10th French Open title.

Andy Murray: It might have been a tough couple of years for Andy Murray but the Scotsman has still reached at least the quarter-finals in every grand slam he has appeared in since the 2010 US Open. Despite struggling with fitness and form since winning the 2013 Wimbledon title, Murray has remained one of the most consistent players on the Tour and someone capable of beating the best in the world on his day. A promising start to the season saw Murray reach his fourth Australian Open final before losing to Novak Djokovic, and the two-time grand slam winner will be determined to prove he is getting back to his best.

Stan Wawrinka: While there had never been much doubt as to just how good Stan Wawrinka is, it took until the 2014 Australian Open for the Swiss star to win his first grand slam title. Since then, the 29-year-old has continued to climb the rankings and is now an established part of the world's top 10. On the back of a successful 2014, Wawrinka started 2015 in impressive form, reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open, beating Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals before losing out to Andy Murray for a place in the final. The French Open might not have been Wawrinka's happiest hunting ground in the past but the world number seven will be heading into the second grand slam of the season confident in the knowledge that he has the ability to beat any player in the draw. If he can produce his best form at Roland Garros, Wawrinka could be one of the surprise packages in Paris this summer.

French Open 2013 - Why Have We Dismissed the Great Roger Federer?

While all the focus is on a potential Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic final at Roland Garros, it seems as though Roger Federer has slipped under the radar. Why has everyone been ignoring the threat of the Swiss master? Federer may be at the twilight years of his career, but he still carries a significant threat in any grand slam. Aside from Nadal, no player has shown more consistency at Roland Garros than Roger Federer. He has reached the semi final stage in seven of his past eight French Open visits, with one win and four finals appearances during that time. His four finals losses have been to Nadal, which goes to show how good Federer is on clay.

There are tennis tickets available online, for those who want to see the French Open live. This is a once in a lifetime experience that should not be missed. Watching tennis on television is fun, but it is nothing compared to the joy of seeing your idols in person.

With Nadal and Djokovic being drawn in the same side of the draw, that would set up a potential semi final clash between those two, leaving the other side of the field clear for Federer. There are plenty of other threats heading into this grand slam, but none of them have the class, consistency, and ability that Federer possesses. Without Nadal and Djokovic in his semi final path, Federer is almost certain to make the final. And once he is there, it is possible that he could get the better of his more fancied opponent.

A second factor that will work in Federer's favor is that the potential semi between Nadal and Djokovic will be a titanic affair. That match could last anywhere between 3.5 to 5 hours, leaving the victor exhausted going into the final. Federer is known to finish off his opponents quickly, especially if they are not Nadal, Djokovic, or Murray. A rested Roger Federer could even be the favorite in a final against Nadal or Djokovic. This makes Federer a huge threat at Roland Garros, perhaps even the main threat.

Do not hesitate to purchase French Open 2013 tickets, if you get the chance. This is going to be an incredible tournament. Rafael Nadal has shown near flawless form since returning for injury, while Djokovic is sure to be at his dominant best. If Federer steps up to the occasion we could have two or three real classics on our hands, once the tournament reaches the semi final stages.

People have written off Federer in the past, but are often proved wrong. The period between the 2010 Australian Open and 2012 Wimbledon event was the worst in Federer's post no.1 career. He failed to win a grand slam in between, with retirement rumors even surfacing. He went into last year's Wimbledon without much hope, at least in the eyes of experts and former pros. Yet he came away with victory, dispatching Andy Murray in four sets in the final. Federer would love to prove people wrong yet again, and claim another French Open title. There is no doubt that this will be difficult, as clay is a brutal surface. His body will be tested to its limits, but if one man can overcome all that, it is Roger Federer.