Leading men's French Open contenders
HOW THE LEADING MEN SHAPE UP FOR THE 2016 FRENCH OPEN
NOVAK DJOKOVIC (SRB)
Age: 28
Ranking: 1
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US99,673,404 ($A135.99 million)
Career titles: 64
Grand slam titles: 11 (Australian Open 2008, 2011-2013, 2015-16); Wimbledon 2011, 2014, 2015; US Open 2011, 2015)
French Open win-loss record: 48-11
Best French Open results: finalist 2012, 2014, 2015
Deservingly odds-on to become the first man in almost half a century to hold all four grand slam titles simultaneously after losing three of 40 matches in 2016, but the Serb has faltered under similarly suffocating pressure in the past.
ANDY MURRAY (SCO)
Age: 29
Ranking: 2
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US45,157,463 ($A60.26 million)
Career titles: 36
Grand slam titles: 2 (US Open 2012; Wimbledon 2013)
French Open win-loss record: 28-8
Best French Open results: semi-finalist 2011, 2014, 2015
The three-time semi-finalist has again enjoyed a promising claycourt build-up, downing Djokovic in Rome, after experiencing a first-time-father lull and seeded to finally reach the title match.
ROGER FEDERER (SUI)
Age: 34
Ranking: 3
Plays: right-handed
Career prize money: $US98,011,727 ($A133.72 million)
Career titles: 88
Grand slam titles: 17 (Australian Open 2004, 2006-07, 2010; French Open 2009; Wimbledon 2003-07, 2009, 2012; US Open 2004-2008)
French Open win-loss record: 65-16
Best French Open result: champion 2009
Has endured a troubled build-up with back and knee injuries limiting his court time to just two events and two claycourt matches since the Australian Open but the six-times finalist should never be written off.
STAN WAWRINKA (SUI)
Age: 31
Ranking: 4
Plays: Right-handed
Career prize money: $US21,965,788 ($A29.97 million)
Career singles titles: 13
Grand slam titles: 2 (Australian Open 2014; 2015 French Open)
French Open win-loss record: 27-10
Best French Open result: champion 2015
Once known as "the other Swiss", the dual grand slam winner arrives as the defending champion after joining Federer, Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Murray as only the fifth player in the past decade to land multiple majors.
RAFAEL NADAL (ESP)
Age: 29
Ranking: 5
Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US78,109,788 ($A106.57 million)
Career titles: 69
Grand slam titles: 14 (Australian Open 2009; French Open 2005-08, 2010-14; Wimbledon 2008, 2010; US Open 2010, 2013)
French Open win-loss record: 70-2
Best French Open results: champion 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Reports of the claycourt colossus's death appear to have been greatly exaggerated after the nine-time Roland Garros king reminded critics of his prowess with back-to-back titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
KEI NISHIKORI (JPN)
Age: 26
Ranking: 6
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US13,061,799 ($A17.48 million)
Career titles: 11
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 8-5
Best French Open result: quarter-finalist 2015
The leader and elder statesman of generation next is enjoying another outstanding claycourt campaign and shapes as the most likely player to next join the grand slam champions' ranks.
BEST OUTSIDER
DOMINIC THIEM (AUT)
Age: 22
Ranking: 15
Plays: right-handed
Career prize money: $US3,012,612 ($A4.11 million)
Career titles: 5
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 2-2
Best French Open results: second round 2014, 2015
The youngest player in the world's top 15 has already picked up two trophies in 2016 and those in the know are tipping the gifted Austrian to break through at major level sooner rather later.
BEST AUSTRALIAN HOPES
NICK KYRGIOS
Age: 21
Ranking: 19
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US2,592,076 ($A3.54 million)
Career titles: 1
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 2-3
Best French Open result: third round 2015
The grand slam champion in waiting boasts a supreme serve, firepower off both wings, ridiculous touch, under-rated fight and career-high ranking but has yet to prove he can go the distance physically or mentally.
BERNARD TOMIC
Age: 23
Ranking: 22
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US4,041,665 ($A5.51 million)
Career titles: 3
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 2-6
Best French Open results: second round 2012, 2015
After cracking the top 20 for the first time in a promising start to 2016, the enigmatic youngster is without a claycourt win and creating headlines for all the wrong reasons - but his talent is unquestioned.
NB: Djokovic turns 29 on Sunday.
