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How the leading French Open men's contenders and best Australian hope shape up ahead of the Paris grand slam starting on Sunday.
THE LEADING MEN'S CONTENDERS AND BEST AUSSIE HOPE FOR THE FRENCH OPEN STARTING ON SUNDAY:-
RAFAEL NADAL (ESP)
Age: 34
Ranking: 2
Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US121,044,734
Career titles: 85
Grand slam titles: 19 (Australian Open 2009; French Open 2005-08, 2010-14, 2017-19; Wimbledon 2008, 2010; US Open 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)
French Open win-loss record: 93-2
Best French Open results: champion 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019
Suffered a shock loss to Diego Schwartzman in his only lead-up event in Rome but still a warm favourite to capture a mind-boggling 13th Roland Garros crown and equal Roger Federer's all-time record 20 men's majors.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC (SRB)
Age: 33
Ranking: 1
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US144,159,599
Career titles: 81
Grand slam titles: 17 (Australian Open 2008, 2011-2013, 2015-16, 2019-20; French Open 2016; Wimbledon 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018-19; US Open 2011, 2015, 2018)
French Open win-loss record: 68-14
Best French Open results: champion 2016; runner-up 2012, 2013, 2015
Rebounded from his dramatic disqualification from the US Open to claim the Italian Open crown to prove he's moved on from the New York setback and ready to contend once again in Paris.
DOMINIC THIEM (AUT)
Age: 27
Ranking: 3
Plays: right-handed
Career prize money: $US26,917,393
Career titles: 17
Grand slam titles: 1 (US Open 2020)
French Open win-loss record: 24-6
Best French Open results: runner-up 2018, 2019
Back on his preferred surface, the newly crowned US Open champion will fancy his chances of another breakthrough, having lost the past two finals in Paris to Nadal.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV (GER)
Age: 23
Ranking: 7
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US22,561,920
Career titles: 11
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 10-4
Best French Open results: quarter-finalist 2018, 2019
After years of under-achieving, the German continues to make steady grand slam progress, reaching the last four in Melbourne and New York in 2020 but is still a level below the top three on clay.
ROBERTO BAUTISTA AGUT (ESP)
Age: 32
Ranking: 11
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US13,255,125
Career titles: 9
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 14-7
Best French Open results: fourth round 2016, 2017
On a high after becoming a father for the first time last week, the Spaniard and 2019 Wimbledon semi-finalist is in career-best touch and confident of making a deep run on his favoured surface.
BEST OUTSIDER
DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN (ARG)
Age: 28
Ranking: 13
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US8,351,233
Career titles: 3
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 9-6
Best French Open result: quarter-finalist 2018
Anyone in the top 15 who beats the King of Clay on the dirt a week out from the French Open commands respect. The shortest player on tour also took the first set from Nadal at Roland Garros two years ago.
BEST AUSTRALIAN HOPE
ALEX DE MINAUR
Age: 21
Ranking: 27
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US4,334,679
Career titles: 3
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 1-3
Best French Open result: second round 2019
Fresh off a career-best grand slam charge to the US Open quarter-finals, the Spain-based Australian No.1 is seeded to also post a milestone showing in Paris.