We are a month away from the French Open, the 2ndof four annual Grand Slam international tennis tournaments. This competition in Paris is the most challenging to players who rely on a strong serve (think Pete Sampras and Roger Federer, neither of whom has ever won the French Open, due to the clay courts, which slow down the ball and cause a higher bounce than grass courts. Running from May 24th to June 7th, this prestigious event offers many promising performances.  Britain’s top-ranked 21 year-old sensation, Andy Murray, is coming off an impressive showing in Monte Carlo.

Another strong contender, the Serbian Novak Djokovic, has risen quickly since he began playing tennis professionally in 2004, and is powerful and consistent on clay courts. But the drama and excitement of 2009′s tourney will likely belong to the match-up between the world’s number 1, Switzerland’s Roger Federer, and number 2, Rafael Nadal of Majorca, king of the clay court.

The women’s competition is anyone’s game. Some say it is Serbian Ana Ivanovic’s to win, but she has a tendency to lose the game in her head, and she will meet strong competitors in Venus and Serena Williams. In 2008, Serena won the US Open and Venus won Wimbledon. Though expectations for her performance were high, Russian Maria Sharapova’s shoulder problems may eliminate her as a contender.

Whether a newcomer or a veteran comes away with a win, the 2009 French Open promises to be a great battle on the clay.

French Open 2009 is a post from: T For Travel

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