This year’s French Open is not all about Nadal, Djokovic, Federer and Wawrinka. Here are some of the faces who will be hoping to hit the headlines the next two weeks at Roland Garros.
Grigor Dimtrov
Dimitrov has gone from strength to strength since making the third round of last year’s French Open. The Bucharest winner did not set the Clay Masters 1000 alight this season like he did when he knocked Djokovic out of Madrid in 2013, but he did make the Rome semis and we all know he has the game to play on Clay. Considering the steady progress he has been making the last year, a last eight or last four showing at this year’s French Open would not be a surprise.
Kei Nishikori
Nishikori had Nadal on the ropes in the Madrid final before his injury got the better of him. If Nishikori can stay injury free, then he could go further than his projected last sixteen seeding. Last year he made the fourth round of the French Open, expect him to go at least one or two rounds further.
Dominic Thiem
Beating Warinka in Madrid was a break through for the Austrian youngster. At times in that match he looked every bit the future star he is touted to be. No one will want to face him in the opening rounds, and Nadal may come up against him in the second round. If Nadal is not at his best, things could get ugly early at Roland Garros.
Milos Raonic
Few knew how well Raonic could play on Clay before his last four meeting against Djokovic in Rome. But his gorundstrokes had the pundits purring and when teamed with that formidable serve, Raonic could surprise us even further the next two weeks.
Federico Delbonis
Last year he beat Federer on clay in Hamburg and he had a good week in Nice, beating Isner in a final set tiebreaker, no mean feat, and then thrashing Simon to make the final.
Santiago Giraldo
The Barcelona finalist has the tools and the support in Fernando Gonzales, the 2009 Roland Garros semi-finalist, to knock out a few seeds on his way to the second week. And at a tournament that has seen the likes of Verkerk in the final, who is to say Giraldo could not raise a few eyebrows in three Sundays time.
Nick Kyrgios
The next big thing is getting more and more press time as he progresses, and as his profile rises, he raises his game. Could this be the slam he announces himself as a major player on the pro tour? He will face Milos Raonic in the first round.
Ernests Gulbis
The Nice champion and a player who on his day can compete with the likes of Nadal and Federer on Clay at Masters events. He can also go out to anyone in the first round. What he will do in Paris will be intriguing to say the least, especially if he makes it through to a possible fourth round encounter with Roger Federer.
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