Men’s Tournament Preview

 

2007 Roland Garros marks the 106th edition of the French championships. References to the tournament most often centre on the following: 1925, when the event became international, welcoming players from throughout the world; and 1968, when Roland Garros became the first Grand Slam tournament open to both amateur and professional players. But the French championships actually began in 1891 as a closed championship reserved for national players or players enrolled in French clubs.

 

2007 Roland Garros is the 157th Grand Slam tournament of the Open Era (1968 Roland Garros -present). This year marks the 40th French Open and the 77th tournament since the French championships became international. This is the 74th year that the event is being held at Roland Garros.

 

 

POINTS AND PRIZE MONEY.... With men’s singles prize money totalling 5,335,280 euros, the following is a breakdown in euros of the individual prize money and ATP Ranking points for the men's singles competition at 2007 Roland Garros:

 

 

There is equal prize money for men and women for the first time at this year’s tournament. There was equal prize money for the champions only in 2006, with disparity in all other rounds.

 

 

NADAL AIMS FOR A HAT TRICK…. World No. 2 Rafael Nadal has won Roland Garros for the past two years, in 2005 defeating Mariano Puerta 67 63 61 75 in the final, and last year defeating Roger Federer 16 61 64 76 in the final.

 

Nadal is now bidding to become the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to collect a third successive Roland Garros title. Borg is the only man to have won three in a row here in the Open Era, and the only player to have done so since the event went international in 1925; three more men achieved the feat before that.

 

Roger Federer was, of course, the last man to win a hat trick of titles at any Grand Slam event, winning his third successive Wimbledon title in 2005, and his third successive US Open title in 2006. [See table overleaf.]

 

 

Hat tricks in Australia                                               Hat tricks in Roland Garros

Jack Crawford – 1931-33                                           Andre Vacherot – 1894-96

Roy Emerson – 1963-67                                            Paul Ayme – 1897-1900

                                                                                    Max Decugis – 1907-09; 1912-14

                                                                                    Bjorn Borg – 1978-81

 

Hat tricks in Wimbledon                                           Hat tricks in US

William Renshaw – 1881-86                                      Richard Sears - 1881-87

Reggie Doherty – 1897-1900                                      Oliver Campbell – 1890-92

Laurie Doherty – 1902-06                                           Malcolm Whitman – 1898-1900

Anthony Wilding –1910-13                                          William Larned – 1907-11

Fred Perry – 1934-36                                                  Bill Tilden – 1920-25

Bjorn Borg – 1976-80                                                  John McEnroe – 1979-81

Pete Sampras – 1993-95; 1997-2000                        Ivan Lendl – 1985-87

Roger Federer – 2003-06                                           Roger Federer – 2004-06

 

The last man to win three or more Roland Garros titles, consecutive or non-consecutive, was Gustavo Kuerten in 2001. (Kuerten also won in 1997 and 2000.) Kuerten is one of six men to have won three or more Roland Garros titles, consecutive or non-consecutive, since the event went international in 1925. Bjorn Borg won a record six titles here; Henry Cochet won four; Rene Lacoste, Mats Wilander, Ivan Lendl and Kuerten won three each. For a more detailed breakdown of Open Era title winners at Roland Garros, see page 9.

 

 

NADAL DOMINATES ROLAND GARROS WARM-UP AGAIN.... Defending champion Rafael Nadal has won three clay court titles this season. Last year he also won three ahead of triumphing at Roland Garros; in 2005 he collected five in the run-up to his first Roland Garros title, equalling Thomas Muster for the best pre-Roland Garros clay court performance in the Open Era.

 

For the second year running, Nadal has claimed all three of his clay court titles on European clay, winning at Barcelona, and the Masters Series events in Monte Carlo and Rome. Nadal leads the tour for total titles collected in 2007, having won four altogether including his hard court victory at AMS Indian Wells in March.

 

Such dominance makes Nadal the heavy favourite to collect his third Roland Garros title, but it was threatened in the Hamburg final a week ago when world No. 1 Roger Federer ended Nadal’s record-breaking 81-match clay court winning streak, defeating his nemesis 26 62 60 to register his first win against Nadal in six clay court meetings, and improve his overall head-to-head against the Spaniard to 4-7. Nadal was attempting to become the first man in history to win all three clay court Masters Series tournaments in a single season, and had not lost on clay since 7 April 2005, when he fell to Igor Andreev in the Valencia quarterfinals.

 

By winning his 16^th career clay court title at Rome, Nadal moved ahead of Carlos Moya as the active player with the most clay court titles. He now stands in tenth place on the list for most career clay court titles won in the Open Era. Federer, meanwhile, has won six titles on the surface. [Table completes overleaf.]

 

Most clay court titles (Open Era)

 

 

FEDERER BIDS TO COMPLETE HIS GRAND SLAM COLLECTION…. As for the past two years, ten-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer has a chance at 2007 Roland Garros to become only the sixth man in history to win all four Grand Slam titles, a feat known as the ‘career Grand Slam’.

 

The five men to have won all four Grand Slam titles are Andre Agassi, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Fred Perry. Budge and Laver, of course, achieved the much-coveted ‘Grand Slam’ of tennis, Budge winning all four major tournaments in a single calendar year in 1938, before Laver did so in both 1962 and 1969.

 

Additionally Federer, as holder of the 2006 Wimbledon, 2006 US Open and 2007 Australian Open trophies, is bidding to collect his fourth straight Grand Slam title and therefore become only the third man to complete a ‘non-calendar year Grand Slam’. Of the five men to win all four majors in their careers, only Budge and Laver have held all four titles at the same time. Perry (8 major titles), Emerson (12 major titles) and Agassi (8 major titles) were never able to win four consecutive Grand Slam tournaments.

 

In the 38 years since Laver completed his second Grand Slam in 1969, Agassi is the only man to have been able to capture the elusive fourth different major. In that time, 11 other men have collected three of the four major titles. (Three of these 11 players - Arthur Ashe, Ken Rosewall and John Newcombe - won Grand Slam tournament titles both before and after Laver's 1969 achievement but were never able to win all four.)

 

Curiously, in every case, the players have failed to win either Roland Garros or Wimbledon to complete their set, always winning the Australian Open, the US Open plus one other.

 

Winning three or more different Slams since 1969

                                         Australian           Roland Garros       Wimbledon         US Open

ANDRE AGASSI             ’95/00-01/03        ’99                            ’92                        ’94/99

ARTHUR ASHE               ’70                        ---                             ’75                        (’68)

BORIS BECKER             ’91/96                   ---                             ’85-86/89              ’89

JIMMY CONNORS           ’74                        ---                             ’74/82                   ’74/76/78/82-83

STEFAN EDBERG          ’85/87                   ---                             ’88/90                   ’91-92

ROGER FEDERER        ’04/06-07              ---                             ’03-06                   ’04-06

IVAN LENDL                    ’89/90                   ’84/86-87                  ---                         ’85-87

JOHN NEWCOMBE        ’73/75                   ---                             (’67) ’70-71          (’67) ’73

KEN ROSEWALL            (’53/55) ’71-72     (’53 ’68)                    ---                         (’56) ’70

PETE SAMPRAS             ’94/97                   ---                             ’93-95/97-00        ’90/93/95-96/02

GUILLERMO VILAS         '78-79                   '77                            ---                         '77

MATS WILANDER           '83-84/88              '82/85/88                  ---                         '88

 

Of the 11 players to have collected three of the four major titles, four have at least reached the final of the Grand Slam tournament that eludes them, Federer joining that list at last year’s Roland Garros.

 

Stefan Edberg                        Reached the Roland Garros final once

                                                                         (1989)

                          Roger Federer                       Reached the Roland Garros final once

                                                                         (2006)

 

                          Ivan Lendl                               Reached the Wimbledon final twice

                                                                         (1986/1987)

                          Ken Rosewall                         Reached the Wimbledon final four times

                                                                         (1954/1956/1970/1974)

 

At 2006 Roland Garros, Federer became the seventh man in the Open Era to reach the final at all four Grand Slam events, joining Agassi, Laver, Rosewall, Lendl, Edberg and Courier.

 

 

THE GRAND SLAM, PART TWO…. Following his victory at the Australian Open, for the second year running Federer enters Roland Garros with a chance to further the quest to achieve the calendar Grand Slam. He is bidding to become the first man in 15 years to hold the first two legs of the Grand Slam. Rod Laver, in 1969, Mats Wilander, in 1988, and Jim Courier, in 1992, are the only men to win the Australian Open and Roland Garros back-to-back within a calendar year in the Open Era. In the history of the sport, only eight men have won the Australian Open-Roland Garros double, with Laver and Roy Emerson having done so twice.

 

Australian Open-Roland Garros Double

                                                            1933                Jack Crawford

                                                            1938                Don Budge

                                                            1953                Ken Rosewall

                                                            1956                Lew Hoad

                                                            1962                Rod Laver

                                                            1963                Roy Emerson

                                                            1967                Roy Emerson

                                                            1969                Rod Laver

                                                            1988                Mats Wilander

                                                            1992                Jim Courier

 

 

NUMBER 11 FOR FEDERER?…. If Roger Federer can complete a ‘career Grand Slam’ and win 2007 Roland Garros, he would move into even more exclusive company on the Grand Slam title leaderboard. Four men have 11 or more Grand Slam titles to their names.

 

All-time Grand Slam title leaders

 

 

FEDERER BIDS TO SET NEW RECORD GRAND SLAM FINALS STREAK…. Through the 2007 Australian Open, Federer’s streak of consecutive Grand Slam final appearances stands at seven. If the world No. 1 reaches the 2007 Roland Garros final, he will set a new record for successive appearances in major finals, breaking his tie with Jack Crawford. [See table overleaf.]

 

Appearances in consecutive Grand Slam finals (all time)

 

 

SANTORO PLAYING 59TH SLAM…. Andre Agassi’s record number of Open Era Grand Slam appearances ended at 61 when he retired at last year’s US Open. Chasing that record is Fabrice Santoro, now second on the list for most majors played - the 34-year-old Frenchman will contest his 59th Grand Slam event in front of his home crowd at 2007 Roland Garros. Santoro is also playing his 35th consecutive Grand Slam event here (see second table below).

 

Players at 2007 Roland Garros in bold (totals include this event)

 

 

MOST CONSECUTIVE SLAMS PLAYED…. Dominik Hrbaty has the longest streak of consecutive Slams of any active player, and that streak is still alive through 2007 Roland Garros. This will be his 42nd straight major. Rainer Schuettler would have made his 34^th straight Grand Slam appearance at 2007 Roland Garros if he had advanced through last week’s qualifying event, but by losing to Fabio Fognini in the final round, his streak ended at 33.

 

Wayne Ferreira’s Open Era record of 56 consecutive Grand Slam events ended with his retirement shortly after the 2004 US Open.

 

Players at 2007 Roland Garros in bold

* denotes a streak which is active through 2007 Roland Garros

FRENCH SUCCESS AT HOME…. Five Frenchmen were ranked inside the top 50 in the ATP rankings for the week commencing 21 May, placing France third behind Spain (7) and Argentina (6) for most players.

 

A title at its home Grand Slam - and indeed any Slam - has eluded France for 24 years. Yannick Noah was the last French men’s champion here, winning in 1983, and before that, Marcel Bernard in 1946. France has been unable to recapture its dominance at Roland Garros enjoyed in the pre-World War II era, when Frenchmen won eight of 15 titles contested from 1925 through 1939. The last French finalist at Roland Garros was Henri Leconte in 1988.

 

The last French player to reach a Grand Slam final was Arnaud Clement, who reached the final at the 2001 Australian Open following an all-French semifinal battle with Sebastien Grosjean.

 

Julien Benneteau was the best French performer at Roland Garros last year, reaching the quarterfinals.

 

Frenchmen in Grand Slam finals (Open Era)

 

 

DEFENDING THE TITLE…. In 2005, Rafael Nadal became the second man in the Open Era, after Mats Wilander in 1982, to win Roland Garros on his debut, and the first man to win any Grand Slam tournament on his debut since Andre Agassi at the 1995 Australian Open. In 2006, the Spaniard became the seventh player to successfully defend his Roland Garros title, and the first since Gustavo Kuerten in 2001.In the Open Era, seven players have now successfully defended Roland Garros on a total of ten occasions.

 

 

The defending champion has never lost in the first round of Roland Garros in the Open Era. There have been four occasions on which the defending champ has lost in the second round: in 2004, when 2003 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero fell to Igor Andreev 36 64 64 62; in 2000, when 1999 winner Andre Agassi lost to Karol Kucera 26 75 61 60; in 1998, when 1997 champion Gustavo Kuerten lost to Marat Safin 36 76 36 61 64; and in 1973, when 1972 champion Andres Gimeno lost to Guillermo Vilas 62 57 86.

 

Among all four Grand Slam tournaments, a defending champion has lost in the first round four times. It happened most recently at 2003 Wimbledon, when 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt lost in the first round to qualifier Ivo Karlovic. Additionally, it has happened twice at the Australian Open, in December 1977, when Roscoe Tanner fell to Chris Lewis 36 63 62 16 64, and in 1996, when Boris Becker lost to Carlos Moya 57 76 36 61 64. At the 1999 US Open, 1998 champion Patrick Rafter lost in the first round to Cedric Pioline when a shoulder injury forced him to retire after losing the first game of the fifth set.

 

Roland Garros defence attempts

 

 

NINE GRAND SLAM CHAMPIONS IN MAIN DRAW… There are nine Grand Slam tournament champions (accounting for 21 Open Era Grand Slam tournament singles titles) appearing in the 2007 Roland Garros main draw. Four of these men have won the Roland Garros title.

 

 

There are 49 members of the club of Open Era Grand Slam tournament singles titleists. The complete list is as follows: Andre Agassi (USA), Arthur Ashe (USA), Boris Becker (GER), Bjorn Borg (SWE), Sergi Bruguera (ESP), Pat Cash (AUS), Michael Chang (USA), Jimmy Connors (USA), Albert Costa (ESP), Jim Courier (USA), Stefan Edberg (SWE), Mark Edmondson (AUS), Roger Federer (SUI), Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP), Gaston Gaudio (ARG), Vitas Gerulaitis (USA), Andres Gimeno (ESP), Andres Gomez (ECU), Lleyton Hewitt (AUS), Goran Ivanisevic (CRO), Thomas Johansson (SWE), Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS), Jan Kodes (TCH), Petr Korda (CZE), Richard Krajicek (NED), Johan Kriek (RSA/USA)^, Gustavo Kuerten (BRA), Rod Laver (AUS), Ivan Lendl (TCH), John McEnroe (USA), Carlos Moya (ESP), Thomas Muster (AUT), Rafael Nadal (ESP), Ilie Nastase (ROM), John Newcombe (AUS), Yannick Noah (FRA), Manuel Orantes (ESP), Adriano Panatta (ITA), Patrick Rafter (AUS), Andy Roddick (USA), Ken Rosewall (AUS), Marat Safin (RUS), Pete Sampras (USA), Stan Smith (USA), Michael Stich (GER), Roscoe Tanner (USA), Brian Teacher (USA), Guillermo Vilas (ARG) and Mats Wilander (SWE).

 

^ -- Johan Kriek was South African when he won the 1981 Australian Open, but he was a naturalized U.S. citizen when he reclaimed the title in 1982.

 

In the Open Era, players have been far more likely to win their first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros than at any other major. The tournament has for 21 first-time victors; the next most likely scene of a first Grand Slam title is the US Open, which accounts for ten.[See table overleaf.]

 

Joining the Grand Slam tournament title club

 

 

THE ‘ONE SLAM WONDER’ CLUB... There are 22 players in the Open Era who have won a lone Grand Slam tournament singles title. The five active players who can still add to their career totals are as follows - all are in action in Paris.

 

 

 

TWENTY-FOUR OF THE BEST.... Of the 49 different Open Era Grand Slam champions, 24 have won Roland Garros at least once in their careers. Bjorn Borg heads the list with six titles.

 

Ken Rosewall*                        1968

Rod Laver*                  1969

Jan Kodes                   1970, 1971

Andres Gimeno           1972

Ilie Nastase                 1973

Bjorn Borg                   1974-75, 1978-81

Adriano Panatta          1976

Guillermo Vilas            1977

Mats Wilander             1982, 1985, 1988

Yannick Noah              1983

Ivan Lendl                    1984, 1986-87

Michael Chang            1989

Andres Gomez            1990

Jim Courier                 1991-92

Sergi Bruguera            1993-94

Thomas Muster           1995

Yevgeny Kafelnikov     1996

Gustavo Kuerten         1997, 2000-01

Carlos Moya                1998

Andre Agassi               1999

Albert Costa                2002

Juan Carlos Ferrero    2003

Gaston Gaudio            2004

Rafael Nadal               2005-06

* also won pre-Open Era Roland Garros titles

 

 

GRAND SLAM ACHIEVERS.… The top Open Era Grand Slam win-loss records are as follows (players at 2007 Roland Garros in bold). Roger Federer has now moved up to 12th place on this list.

               

                                                                   Win-loss              

            Jimmy Connors                             233-49                                

            Andre Agassi                                 224-53

            Ivan Lendl                                       222-49                                

            Pete Sampras                               203-38                                

            Stefan Edberg                                178-47                                

            John McEnroe                                167-38                                

            Boris Becker                                  163-40                                

            Mats Wilander                                144-37                                

            Bjorn Borg                                      141-17                                

            Guillermo Vilas                               139-45                                

            Michael Chang                               120-56                                

            Roger Federer                             119-21                                

            Jim Courier                                    118-38

            Goran Ivanisevic                            110-50                                

            Arthur Ashe**                                 106-28                                

            Wayne Ferreira                              104-56                                

            Lleyton Hewitt                              103-32

            Stan Smith**                                  102-41                                

            Todd Martin                                    102-48

            Yevgeny Kafelnikov                          99-36                                

            Ilie Nastase                                      97-41

            Tim Henman                                   96-46                                

            John Newcombe**                           93-21                                

            Ken Rosewall**                               92-19                                         

            Roscoe Tanner                                90-33                                

** Also played pre-Open Era matches

 

The leading French player at Grand Slam events in the Open Era is Yannick Noah, at 85-35 overall and 40-12 at Roland Garros.

 

 

ROLAND GARROS ACHIEVERS…. The leading performers at Roland Garros in the Open Era are as follows:

 

                                                                   Win-loss

            Guillermo Vilas                                 58-17

            Ivan Lendl                                         53-12

            Andre Agassi                                   51-16

            Bjorn Borg                                          49-2

            Mats Wilander                                    47-9

            Jim Courier                                        40-9

            Yannick Noah                                   40-12

            Jimmy Connors                               40-13

            Jan Kodes**                                     39-11

            Michael Chang                                 38-15

** Also played pre-Open Era matches

 

 

TOP SEED SUCCESS STORY.... Of the 39 Roland Garros championships played since 1968, only 11 top seeds have held form and gone on to win the title. Gustavo Kuerten was the last No. 1 seed to win in 2001. It is however 17 years since the No. 1 seed lost in the first round.

 

Performance of top seed at Roland Garros

1968       Rod Laver                       Runner-up

1969       Rod Laver                     Won title

1970       Ilie Nastase                     Lost in quarterfinals

1971       Jan Kodes                     Won title

1972       Jan Kodes                       Lost in quarterfinals

1973       Stan Smith                      Lost in round of 16

1974       Ilie Nastase                     Lost in quarterfinals

1975       Bjorn Borg                    Won title

1976       Bjorn Borg                       Lost in quarterfinals

1977       Ilie Nastase                     Lost in quarterfinals

1978       Bjorn Borg                    Won title

1979       Bjorn Borg                    Won title

1980       Bjorn Borg                    Won title

1981       Bjorn Borg                    Won title

1982       Jimmy Connors              Lost in quarterfinals

1983       Jimmy Connors              Lost in quarterfinals

1984       John McEnroe                 Runner-up

1985       John McEnroe                 Lost in semifinals

1986       Ivan Lendl                     Won title

1987       Ivan Lendl                     Won title

1988       Ivan Lendl                        Lost in quarterfinals

1989       Ivan Lendl                        Lost in round of 16

1990       Stefan Edberg                 Lost 1st round

1991       Stefan Edberg                 Lost in quarterfinals

1992       Jim Courier                   Won title

1993       Pete Sampras                Lost in quarterfinals

1994       Pete Sampras                Lost in quarterfinals

1995       Andre Agassi                  Lost in quarterfinals

1996       Pete Sampras                Lost in semifinals

1997       Pete Sampras                Lost in third round

1998       Pete Sampras                Lost in second round

1999       Yevgeny Kafelnikov         Lost in second round

2000       Andre Agassi                  Lost in second round

2001       Gustavo Kuerten         Won title

2002       Lleyton Hewitt                 Lost in round of 16

2003       Lleyton Hewitt                 Lost in third round

2004       Roger Federer                Lost in third round

2005       Roger Federer                Lost in semifinals

2006       Roger Federer                Runner-up             

              

Overall, in the 76 French Championships played since seeding began here in 1925, the top seed has only won the title 24 times, an average of once every three years.

 

 

PICKING A WINNER.... Eight of the past 12 Roland Garros champions entered the event having won at least one clay court title in the months leading up to Roland Garros. That suggests that Rafael Nadal’s chances of winning his third successive title are even greater, as the holder of three clay court titles in 2007. Juan Monaco’s chances would also appear to have been boosted, as he is the only player other than Nadal to have won multiple titles on the surface so far this year, having lifted the trophies at Buenos Aires and Portschach.

 

However, in the Open Era, 16 of the 39 French champions have not won a clay court title leading up to Roland Garros, including 2004 champion Gaston Gaudio. Andre Agassi won only two of four clay court matches before winning the 1999 championship, while Gustavo Kuerten won only two of nine tour-level clay court matches before winning his first Roland Garros title in 1997.

 

             YEAR              FRENCH CHAMPION                                         PRIOR TO FRENCH

             1969                Rod Laver                                No clay court titles

             1970                Jan Kodes                                No clay court titles

             1971                Jan Kodes                                Won Catania

             1972                Andres Gimeno                        No clay court titles

             1973                Ilie Nastase                              Won Barcelona, Monte Carlo,

                                                                                      Madrid, Florence

             1974                Bjorn Borg                                Won Sao Paulo, Rome

             1975                Bjorn Borg                                No clay court titles

             1976                Adriano Panatta                       Won Rome

             1977                Guillermo Vilas                         Won Buenos Aires, Virginia Beach

             1978                Bjorn Borg                                Won Italian Open

             1979                Bjorn Borg                                Won Monte Carlo

             1980                Bjorn Borg                                Won Nice, Monte Carlo

             1981                Bjorn Borg                                No clay court titles

             1982                Mats Wilander                          No clay court titles

             1983                Yannick Noah                           Won Madrid, German Open

             1984                Ivan Lendl                                 No clay court titles

             1985                Mats Wilander                          No clay court titles

             1986                Ivan Lendl                                 Won Italian Open

             1987                Ivan Lendl                                 Won German Open

             1988                Mats Wilander                          No clay court titles

             1989                Michael Chang                         No clay court titles

             1990                Andres Gomez                        Won Barcelona, Madrid

             1991                Jim Courier                              No clay court titles

             1992                Jim Courier                              Won Italian Open

             1993                Sergi Bruguera                        Won Monte Carlo

             1994                Sergi Bruguera                        No clay court titles

             1995                Thomas Muster                       Won Mexico City, Estoril, Barcelona,

                                                                                      Monte Carlo, Italian Open

             1996                Yevgeny Kafelnikov                  Won Prague

             1997                Gustavo Kuerten                      No clay court titles

             1998                Carlos Moya                             Won Monte Carlo

             1999                Andre Agassi                           No clay court titles

             2000                Gustavo Kuerten                      Won Santiago, Hamburg

             2001                Gustavo Kuerten                      Won Buenos Aires, Acapulco, Monte Carlo

             2002                Albert Costa                             No clay court titles

             2003                Juan Carlos Ferrero                Won Monte Carlo, Valencia

             2004                Gaston Gaudio                         No clay court titles

             2005                Rafael Nadal                            Won Costa do Sauipe, Acapulco,

                                                                                      Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome

             2006                Rafael Nadal                            Won Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome

 

 

CLAY COURT LEADERS…. The following men have won the most clay court matches this season ahead of 2007 Roland Garros.

 

2007 clay court leaders

 

 

THE SPANISH SEASON.... Thanks to Nicolas Almagro and Rafael Nadal, Spain has captured four titles this year during the pre-Roland Garros clay court season in Europe. The two-month clay court season between AMS Miami and Roland Garros is generally a period of Spanish rule. Since 1996, Spanish men have won at least one clay court event in the pre-Roland Garros clay court season every year. During this period, Spanish success in the lead-up to Roland Garros has resulted in five French Open titles (two from all-Spanish finals) and four runner-up finishes. [Table finishes overleaf.]

 

Year	Event	Spanish champion	Best Spanish finish at Roland Garros
2007	Valencia	Nicolas Almagro	???
	AMS Monte Carlo	Rafael Nadal
	Barcelona	Rafael Nadal
	AMS Rome	Rafael Nadal
2006	Valencia	Nicolas Almagro
	AMS Monte Carlo	Rafael Nadal	Champion – Rafael Nadal
	Barcelona	Rafael Nadal
	AMS Rome	Rafael Nadal
	AMS Hamburg	Tommy Robredo
2005	AMS Monte Carlo	Rafael Nadal	Champion – Rafael Nadal
	Barcelona	Rafael Nadal
	AMS Rome	Rafael Nadal
2004	Valencia	Fernando Verdasco	Quarterfinalist – Carlos Moya
	Barcelona	Tommy Robredo
	AMS Rome	Carlos Moya
	Casablanca	Santiago Ventura
2003	TMS Monte Carlo	Juan Carlos Ferrero	Champion – Juan Carlos Ferrero
	Barcelona	Carlos Moya
	Valencia	Juan Carlos Ferrero
	TMS Rome	Felix Mantilla
2002	TMS Monte Carlo	Juan Carlos Ferrero*	Champion – Albert Costa (d. Ferrero)
2001	Estoril	Juan Carlos Ferrero*	Runner-up – Alex Corretja
	Barcelona	Juan Carlos Ferrero*
	Mallorca	Alberto Martin
	TMS Rome	Juan Carlos Ferrero
	TMS Hamburg	Albert Portas*
2000	Estoril	Carlos Moya*	Semifinalist – Juan Carlos Ferrero
	Casablanca	Fernando Vicente
1999	Casablanca	Alberto Martin*	Quarterfinalist – Alex Corretja
	Estoril	Albert Costa
	Barcelona	Felix Mantilla
1998	Estoril	Alberto Berasategui	Champion – Carlos Moya (d. Corretja)
	Monte Carlo	Carlos Moya
	Hamburg	Albert Costa*
1997	Estoril	Alex Corretja*	Runner-up – Sergi Bruguera
	Barcelona	Albert Costa*
	Rome	Alex Corretja
1996	Casablanca	Tomas Carbonell	Rd. of 16 – Francisco Clavet
	Hamburg	Roberto Carretero*

*  won an all-Spanish final.

 

 

FIRST TIMERS…. There are 25 men making their debut appearance at Roland Garros this year. Of these, seven are qualifiers, two are lucky losers and three are wild cards.

 

The last Grand Slam tournament champion to win a title on his first appearance at that event was Rafael Nadal at 2005 Roland Garros.

 

 

FROM JUNIORS TO MAIN DRAW.... Only five of the 56 different Roland Garros Junior Boys’ Champions have gone on to win the men's singles title, as follows:

 

 

 

There are nine former Roland Garros junior singles champions playing in this year's main draw, as follows:

 

Fabrice Santoro (1989)

Mariano Zabaleta (1995)

Alberto Martin (1996)

Fernando Gonzalez (1998)

Paul-Henri Mathieu (2000)

Richard Gasquet (2002)

Stanislas Wawrinka (2003)

Gael Monfils (2004)

Marin Cilic (2005)

 

Luis Horna (1997), Juan Carlos Ferrero (1998), David Nalbandian (1999), Tommy Robredo (2000) and Laurent Recouderc (2002) were all junior boys’ finalists here.

 

 

WILD CARDS…. Seven of the eight wild cards have been awarded to French players: Thierry Ascione, Jonathan Eysseric, Nicolas Mahut, Mathieu Montcourt, Olivier Patience, Edouard Roger-Vasselin, and Alexandre Sidorenko. Australian Peter Luczak is the recipient of the eighth wild card under a reciprocal agreement between Tennis Australia and the French Tennis Federation.

 

 

COUNTRY COUNTDOWN.... Thirty-three countries are represented in the men’s singles draw at 2007 Roland Garros, with France having the most players competing here.