Novak Djokovic's route to a maiden title at Roland Garros and the world number one ranking could be a hazardous one following Friday's draw for the French Open which starts on Sunday.
Timea Bacsinszky and Jelena Ostapenko will celebrate birthdays on Thursday, but one will be left crying into her cake as they face off in the French Open semi-finals.
The world number two is worried she will not be fit enough to give her best in next month's French Open championships.
World number one Carlos Alcaraz arrives in Melbourne with only one mission in mind -- claim a first Australian Open title to become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.
The cool days of late September, with damp courts expected, will level the playing field and for the first time, other than when Rafael Nadal has been injured, he looks vulnerable on his beloved clay.
IMAGES from Day 8 of the French Open, at Roland Garros, on Sunday.
IMAGES from Day 11 of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Wednesday.
The world number two is unsure whether she will be fit enough to play at next month's event.\n\n
She should win her place thanks to good results, says Radwanska
Newly-crowned French Open champion Simon Halep said she was inspired to win her first Grand Slam title by her manager Virginia Ruzici's feats 40 years ago at Roland Garros.
The Indian duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi rallied from a set down to score a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over the German pair of Tommy Haas and Philipp Petzschner in the first round of the French Open men's doubles competition, in Paris on Thursday.
The WTA Tour has criticised French Open organisers for awarding more prize money to the men competitors
Novak Djokovic joined the tennis greats on Sunday when he downed British second seed Andy Murray 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 to claim his maiden French Open title and hold all four grand slams at the same time. The world number one recovered from a nervous start to impose his pace on Court Philippe Chatrier and clinch his 12th grand slam crown after three previous failures in a Roland Garros final. Djokovic is only the third man after Don Budge and Rod Laver to hold the four majors at the same time, and the eighth man to triumph at Wimbledon and the French, U.S. and Australian Opens.
India's double Olympic medallist P V Sindhu failed to reach the women's singles summit clash after going down fighting to Japan's Sayaka Takahashi in three games at the French Open badminton tournament Paris on Saturday.
Martina Navratilova said on Thursday she will commentate at this year's French Open while undergoing radiation treatment for breast cancer.
Three fancied players did succumb on a cheerless day.
Thiem knocked out by Andujar in French Open first round
India's Rohan Bopanna and his Romanian partner Marius Copil bowed out of the French Open after losing in the third round of the men's doubles, in Paris, on Sunday.
Swiatek's last defeat on clay came in the WTA 1000 event in Madrid against Australian Barty, who elected not to defend her 2019 French Open title last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jana Novotna took Barbora Krejcikova under her wing in 2014 and while the youngster "never tried to imitate" her, the 2018 French Open and Wimbledon doubles champion drew inspiration from her mentor.
Images from Day 1'a matches at the French Open played on Sunday.
Shiva Narwal secured gold in the men's 10m air pistol event at the ISSF Junior World Cup, with Chirag Sharma winning bronze.
The Swiss has never been beyond the semi-finals at Roland Garros.
Kidambi Srikanth continued his good run as he routed Kenta Nishimoto 21-14, 21-13 in the final to clinch the French Open Super Series title on Sunday.
Already, within the week of the election results it became apparent that the Congress' DNA has not changed from its traditional approach to politics as but a game of thrones, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Ramkumar Ramanathan partnered with American Hunter Reese won his first main draw win at a Grand Slam at Rolland Garros on Wednesday
Rafael Nadal is chasing a historic 10th French Open title in Paris, but nothing will ever come close to trying to win his second.
Claycourt master Rafael Nadal quickly adapted to his new surroundings at Roland Garros with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 demolition of German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in the first round of the French Open on Monday.
Novak Djokovic kept his bid alive for Grand Slam No. 23 as he entered the semifinals of the French Open.
'I've practised with both of them a little bit and they're incredible ball strikers. There's more to come, I hope they stay injury-free.'
Serena Williams, hoping to win a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, will start her campaign against fellow American Kristie Ahn.
The Pole, who won the crown in 2020 and hasn't lost since February, matched Serena Williams's winning run from 2013 in the process, having now lost only two sets in her last four tournaments.
Novak Djokovic recovered his poise to win the Rome Masters title and Wilander says Djokovic will use the pain of his US debacle to inflict maximum damage on the Parisian clay.
Images from Day 1 of the French Open matches played at Roland Garros on Sunday
The world number two remains hopeful he will play at the French Open despite fracturing a rib in a fall this month.\n
Alicia Molik has pulled out of the Grand Slam due to an inner-ear infection.
