The teams, which meet in a quarter-final from Friday, have a strong tradition in Davis Cup.
French federation president Bernard Giudicelli has hit out at the country's male players after their disappointing run at Roland Garros, saying they lacked physical strength and grit.
Nadal will not be playing at Wimbledon, having decided to rest, while eight-time champion Federer is showing signs that, at 39, the window of opportunity to win one more Slam is closing.
List of French Open men's singles champions:
Serena Williams has gone 3-2 in matches that all lasted three sets and have taken a toll on her weary legs.
Images from Day 5 of the 2022 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Thursday.
Novak Djokovic will be favourite to reach his 27th Grand Slam final when he faces Stefanos Tsitsipas in the French Open semis on Friday but what had been a smooth path through the draw has suddenly got a little rocky.
Sweden captain Mats Wilander termed the tie a 'bad propaganda' for the sport because of the surface it was played on
If there is a new member of the grand slam champions' club this weekend, nobody should be surprised -- the conditions at this year's sodden, chilly French Open suit the underdog.
Roger Federer has made no secret that at this stage of his career, anything he does or does not do on a tennis court is done with the sole purpose of making sure he is in the best shape possible to make another title run at Wimbledon.
Two-time champion Andy Murray withdrew from Wimbledon with a 'heavy heart' on Sunday after saying his right hip was still not ready for the demands of a Grand Slam.
"You can't think that (Kei) Nishikori, Dominic Thiem or Marin Cilic have a chance," the former French Open champion said.
Rafael Nadal is hunting a record-extending and almost unbelievable 12th Roland Garros title is remarkable in itself.
List of US Open men's singles champions since the Open Era began in 1968:
Bidding for a record-extending ninth Australian Open title, the world number one and double-defending champion remains the runaway favourite at his favourite Grand Slam where he once remarked that he felt touched by the "divine".
The board reminded Osaka that 'a core element of the Grand Slam regulations is the responsibility of the players to engage with the media'
The 36-year-old has been practising hard on the grass and few would bet against her becoming the first mother to win the title since Evonne Cawley 38 years ago.
Nadal enters his title defence after a stellar season on his favourite surface.
As the last regular season event got underway this week, no Swede had lifted an ATP singles trophy in 2003.
No Italian man has won a Grand Slam since Adriano Panatta triumphed at Roland Garros in 1976 and if there is any chance that Sinner, Musetti or Berrettini will lift the Musketeers Cup this year, they will face their biggest obstacles in the next round when they take on the might of Nadal, Djokovic and Federer respectively.
Pliskova will be guaranteed toppling Germany's Angelique Kerber if she prevails against Halep who would need to go on and take the title to seize the top ranking.
Tennis must avoid "internal battles" if its growth is to keep pace with other sports, Roger Federer said on Monday in response to news that the ATP was to launch a revamped World Team Cup.
It takes a brave, or foolish, pundit to look beyond Rafael Nadal for this year's men's champion, such is the Spaniard's power which has exerted a stranglehold over all claycourt opponents.
Simona Halep has been in red-hot form and the absence of top-ranked Australian Ash Barty, who won her maiden Grand Slam in Paris last year, and US Open champion Naomi Osaka, will boost her chances further.
Wimbledon's grass is slower than when Sampras and all the classic serve-volley specialists ruled the roost and, though it still offers a lower bounce than clay or the hard courts that dominate the circuit, it seems that the difference is becoming marginal.
List of Australian Open men's singles champions since the event began in 1905 (Australian unless stated):
Reaction to Novak Djokovic's disqualification from the US Open for striking a line judge with a ball during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta on Sunday.
The top women's seeds continued to be scattered at Wimbledon on Wednesday, with Caroline Wozniacki's exit meaning five of the top eight were gone before the end of the third day.
Not just because Serena Williams looks capable of landing a 24th Grand Slam title against all the odds having returned from maternity leave and Maria Sharapova is seeking redemption after a 15-month doping ban with a third French Open title.
The 2nd major of the year, the French Open will start on the weekend. With the clay-court grand slam starting on Sunday, here is the list of French Open champions over the years
Novak Djokovic capped one of tennis's greatest seasons with a awe-inspiring U.S. Open triumph on Monday that could just signal an end to the sport's obsession with "Rafa v Roger" finals.
List of US Open men's singles champions since the open era began in 1968:
He went on to lift the US Open title in 1994 and, after shaving his head on the advice of his then actress girlfriend Brooke Shields, the Australian Open crown in 1995 before adding an Olympic gold at Atlanta 1996.
List of Australian Open men's singles champions since the event began in 1905 (Australian unless stated):
Three-times Roland Garros champion Mats Wilander reflects on Day Two of the French Open.
'Djokovic is going to feel pressure, that's for sure, but then for Federer it might be his last chance'
World number one Novak Djokovic was sensationally disqualified in the US Open fourth round on Sunday after striking a line judge with a ball following a point during the first set of his match against Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta.
Three-time Roland Garros champion Mats Wilander reflects on Day Five of the French Open for Reuters.
Three-times Roland Garros champion Mats Wilander reflects on Day 3 of the French Open for Reuters.
The volatile 17th seed had a quiet evening by his standards in his opening match on Monday, with just the one violation for unsportsmanlike behaviour when he asked spectator, in no uncertain terms, to be quiet while he was serving.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances