Men's French Open penpix
HOW THE LEADING MEN SHAPE UP FOR THE 2018 FRENCH OPEN STARTING ON SUNDAY
RAFAEL NADAL (ESP)
Age: 31
Ranking: 1
Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US98,001,598 ($A129.26 million)
Career titles: 78
Grand slam titles: 16 (Australian Open 2009; French Open 2005-08,
2010-14, 2017; Wimbledon 2008, 2010; US Open 2010, 2013, 2017)
French Open win-loss record: 79-2
Best French Open results: champion 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010,
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017
The King of Clay will once again start an odds-on favourite to land a mind-boggling 11th title in Paris having dominated on the dirt in record-setting fashion in 2018.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV (GER)
Age: 21
Ranking: 3
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US10,373,552 ($A13.68 million)
Career titles: 8
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 2-2
Best French Open result: third round 2016
As the only active player besides Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray boasting at least three Masters crowns, the German's talent and potential is unquestioned but he's yet to progress to a grand slam quarter-final.
MARIN CILIC (CRO)
Age: 29
Ranking: 4
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US23,115,432 ($A30.49 million)
Career titles: 17
Grand slam titles: 1 (US Open 2014)
French Open win-loss record: 20-11
Best French Open result: quarter-finalist 2017
The big-hitting Croat has emerged a perennial grand slam threat with appearances in the Wimbledon and Australian Open finals in the past 12 months, proving his Flushing Meadows triumph as anything but a fluke.
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO (ARG)
Age: 29
Ranking: 6
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US21,256,944 ($A28.04 million)
Career titles: 22
Grand slam titles: 1 (US Open 2009)
French Open win-loss record: 14-7
Best French Open result: semi-finalist 2009
The injury-prone Argentine is enjoying his best ranking in almost a decade and can't be ignored having been a set away from the Roland Garros final once before.
DOMINIC THIEM (AUT)
Age: 24
Ranking: 8
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US10,987,854 ($A14.49 million)
Career titles: 9
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 12-4
Best French Open results: semi-finalist 2016, 2017
The Austrian enforcer proved himself the real deal on dirt with a streak-busting win over Nadal in Madrid a fortnight ago and will take a power of stopping.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC (SRB)
Age: 31
Ranking: 22
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US110,474,762 ($A145.71 million)
Career titles: 68
Grand slam titles: 12 (Australian Open 2008, 2011-2013, 2015-16;
French Open 2016; Wimbledon 2011, 2014, 2015; US Open 2011, 2015)
French Open win-loss record: 59-12
Best French Open result: champion 2016
The Serbian superstar has been a shadow of the player who held all four grand slam titles simultaneously two years ago but finally showed signs of life with a run to the Italian Open semi-finals.
BEST OUTSIDERS
DAVID GOFFIN (BEL)
Age: 27
Ranking: 9
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US9,866,262 ($A13.01 million)
Career titles: 4
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 11-6
Best French Open result: quarter-finalist 2016
The Belgian Davis Cup hero is on his favoured surface after joining an exclusive club of players to conquer Nadal and Federer at the same event en route to last year's season-ending championship final.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS (GRE)
Age: 19
Ranking: 40
Plays: right-handed
Career prize money: $US1,011,640 ($A1.33 million)
Career titles: 0
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 0-1
Best French Open result: first round 2017
The Greek teenage sensation almost snatched a seeding after rocketing from outside the top 200 this time last year with a series of head-turning performances on clay this season.
BEST AUSTRALIAN HOPES
NICK KYRGIOS
Age: 23
Ranking: 23
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US5,936,771 ($A7.83 million)
Career titles: 4
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 5-5
Best French Open results: third round 2015, 2016
Under an injury cloud having missed the entire European claycourt season with a chronic elbow complaint but capable of causing damage if even close to full fitness.
ALEX DE MINAUR
Age: 19
Ranking: 106
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US420,869 ($A555,089.69)
Career titles: 0
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 0-1
Best French Open result: first round 2017
A deserving recipient of Australia's reciprocal wildcard after almost earning direct entry through his career-high ranking. Tipped by the great Ken Rosewall as a future grand slam champion.
