“Yeah,†she replied, “I definitely think Nadal is probably a big-time favourite.†Four-time champion Rafael Nadal surely is the man to beat.
But what about the women’s field “I don’t know,†she said. “I’m just here to play and go for it.†As the year’s second grand slam tournament begins on Sunday, no one seems to know which woman is most likely to hoist the trophy in two weeks. “It’s very hard to pick one,†said Ana Ivanovic, the defending champion. If a fourth consecutive men’s final between Nadal and Roger Federer seems like a possibility, the women’s event appears less predictable. Williams and Ivanovic each have struggled recently with knee injuries. Maria Sharapova returned to the tour this week after missing nearly 10 months, and she was wearing white tape on her surgically repaired right shoulder as she practiced at Roland Garros on Saturday.
“They just need a little bit more experience in the grand slams and playing at this level,†Ivanovic said. “But I think definitely in the future they have very good potential.â€