Episode 44 is our Roland Garros preview. We start with the men's side, which got a whole lot more interesting a few weeks ago, with Rafa's resurgence, Andy's rebirth on clay, and Novak suffering a few setbacks. Next, enjoy our chat with Caitlin Thompson, co-founder of the new print-only Racquet Magazine and co-host of The Main Draw podcast. Stay tuned for info on how to subscribe or donate to Racquet's Kickstarter. Finally, we talk about the women's draw and, honestly, your guess is as good as ours. ​

​Racquet Magazine Kickstarter
#ThisWeekInTennis: ATP Preview
#ThisWeekInTennis: WTA Preview

Welcome to a prediction free preview of Men's Singles at Roland Garros. Rather than tell you who will win (a losing proposition), this special edition of "This Week in Tennis" will assess the form of the top eight seeds, offer some potential dark horses, and provide some etcetera information about tennis' second Grand Slam. 

Click here for the WTA French Open preview.

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SEEDS (Click to see the full men's draw)

(1) Novak Djokovic

Best Result: F - 2012, 2014, 2015

2016 Clay Results: 2R - Monte Carlo, W - Madrid, F - Rome
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Like many of the greats, Djokovic holds three of the four majors; McEnroe, Connors, Lendl, Wilander, Edberg, and Sampras all retired missing one piece of the career Grand Slam puzzle. The French Open has been Djokovic's bugaboo since 2012 when he lost his first Roland Garros final to Nadal. In his fifth attempt to complete the career Slam, Djokovic enters this year's event the dominant player on the ATP Tour for a second year running. Will he be able to get out of his own way and overcome the near misses of French Opens past? The mental question might be the one most pressing for the world #1 in Paris, one he will likely have to tackle against Nadal in the semifinals.
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(2) Andy Murray

Best Result: SF - 2011, 2014, 2015

2016 Clay Results: SF - Monte Carlo, F - Madrid, W - Rome

Murray has molded himself into one of the more accomplished clay court players on the ATP Tour. For much of his career, Murray's results on the dirt paled in comparison to his output on the other surfaces; that is no longer the case. Three of his five titles over the last 17 months have come on clay, and Murray enters this tournament fresh off a finals win over Djokovic in Rome. If he can summon his best aggressive tennis over the next fortnight, Murray might join Djokovic in the three-out-of-four club.

(3) Stan Wawrinka

Best Result: W - 2015

2016 Clay Results: QF - Monte Carlo, 2R - Madrid, R16 - Rome, Geneva

The mercurial defending champion enters Roland Garros after an underwhelming European clay season. His title one year ago came after reaching only one semifinal in his four lead-up events, so his lack of success means very little for his title hopes this time around. Considering his prodigious talent, Wawrinka remains one of the few players who can beat anybody on any given day. 

​(4) Rafael Nadal

Best Result: W - 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2016 Clay Results: W - Monte Carlo, W - Barcelona, SF - Madrid, QF - Rome

What a difference a year makes. Nadal enters this French Open with the kind of form and confidence that he sorely missed in 2015. He won Monte Carlo and Barcelona for the ninth time each to start the European clay court season, matching his nine titles at Roland Garros. He ended his lead-up to the year's second Slam with a riveting two-set loss to Djokovic in Rome. While ultimately yet another loss to Djokovic, Nadal speaks of a renewed confidence and good feelings about his game. While not at his best level of tennis yet, it may not be too far away. All eyes will be on his potential semifinal match-up with Djokovic.

Serena Williams is about to begin her third attempt at capturing a 22nd Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros. That is likely to be the biggest WTA storylines you will read about during the course of her stay in Paris. While she has the best chance of any to win the title, the field possesses a host of other players who could make a deep run. This French Open preview will not predict a winner, but rather take a look at the form and concerns of some of the more prominent contenders, and offer some other players to keep an eye on over the next fortnight of Grand Slam tennis. 

Clickhere for the ATP French Open preview.

​SEEDS (Click for the full women's draw)

(1) Serena Williams

Best Result: W - 2002, 2013, 2015

2016 Clay Results: W - Rome 

What can be said about Serena Williams at this point that hasn't already been said? Her title last week in Rome was yet another reminder that she is the best the WTA has to offer and you should bet against her at your own peril.

(2) Agnieszka Radwanska

Best Result: QF - 2013

2016 Clay Results: SF - Stuttgart, 1R - Madrid

The French Open has not been kind to Radwanska historically. In nine attempts, she's made it to the fourth round only four times, and only once has she made it as far as the quarterfinals. Last week, she wrote a piece for The Straits Times documenting her struggles on clay, the causes, and the efforts she's made to overcome them. After losing her opener in Madrid, she opted to skip Rome to work on her clay court game. We shall see if her efforts pay off in Paris.  

(3) Angelique Kerber

Best Result: QF - 2012

2016 Clay Results: W- Stuttgart, 1R - Madrid, 2R - Rome

The Australian Open champion backed up her stellar start to the year with a title run in Stuttgart. However, she enters Roland Garros with underwhelming results in Madrid and Rome, before withdrawing from Nurnberg citing shoulder trouble. Still, she's now a very big name in women's tennis and one to watch regardless of form. She's drawn in the top half with Serena Williams and could face Madison Keys in the fourth round and Timea Bacsinszky in the quarterfinals.

(4) Garbine Muguruza

Best Result: QF - 2014, 2015

2016 Clay Results: QF - Stuttgart, 2R - Madrid, SF - Rome

Muguruza has been the presumptive next best on the WTA Tour for a couple years, and now boasts a #4 ranking to justify the hype. Buyukakcay and Kuznetsova lurk in her section before she might have to square off against Kvitova in the quarterfinals, the final stop for her in Paris the last two years. If she is healthy, and able to build off a semifinal showing in Rome last week, the draw sets up nicely for her to go at least one round further this time around. 

The last big week of tournament preparation for Roland Garros wrapped in Rome on Sunday, with Serena Williams and Andy Murray hoisting the champions' trophies. For Williams, it was her first tournament win in nine months, while Murray avenged his finals loss to Djokovic in Madrid the previous week. Rome had much to offer tennis fans: a surprise run to the final for Madison Keys, a further improved Nadal, Berdych's double bagel, a temperamental Djokovic, Pennetta's farewell, and Pouille's lucky loser run to the semifinals.

​​Volume 19 of #ThisWeekInTennis will get you caught up on all the newsworthy events, tweets, press quotes, ranking movers, tennis writing, and podcasts from the Italian Open.

​Let's get started!

​WTA

RUNDOWN
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• Serena Williams, absent from the WTA Tour since Miami and playing her first clay event of the year,  sped through the Rome draw without losing a set. Her fourth title in Rome was also the 70th of her career.
• Madison Keys made a surprise run to the finals before losing in straight sets to Serena. Among her victims: Petkovic, Kvitova, Babos, Strycova, and Muguruza. 
• Irina-Camelia Begu defeated Azarenka and Kasatkina en route to the semifinals in Rome. She jumps seven spots in the new WTA rankings to #28, three spots away from her career high at #25.
• Garbine Muguruza, short on good results in 2016, reached the semifinals. Prior to Rome, the world #4 had made only one quarterfinal and sported a 12-8 record on the season.
• You might recall that Kimiko Date-Krumm underwent knee surgery earlier this year. The news prompted speculation that Date-Krumm, now 45, might be forced into retirement. It appears that speculation might have been premature.
• Eugenie Bouchard ousted Jelena Jankovic as well as #2 seed Angelique Kerber before managing just one game against Barbora Strycova in the third round.
• Misaki Doi reaches a new career high ranking at #38 after making the quarterfinals. 
• Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza won their fifth doubles title of 2016. The pair hadn't won a tournament since the first week of February, prompting talk of a "slump." After reaching the finals in their two previous outings, SanTina appear fully back on track. 
• Flavia Pennetta was a prominent figure in tennis headlines despite being retired since the end of the 2015 season. The Italian Open honoured her with a moving farewell ceremony, then she returned to the WTA top 10 at week's end despite not having played a match all year.

So much happened in tennis last week, both on and off the court. Check in with The Body Serve for a recap of the Italian Open in Rome, where Serena Williams and Andy Murray hoisted trophies at week's end. For the vast majority of the top players on both tours, the next stop on the European clay court circuit is the French Open!

Flavia Pennetta announced her retirement from the WTA Tour shortly after hoisting the U.S. Open singles trophy last September. The victory speech surprise left fans wondering whether her retirement would take immediate effect or if she would continue through the end of the season. She eventually qualified for the WTA Finals in Singapore before hanging up her racquet for good. Now, seven months on, Pennetta received an emotional farewell from her home tournament in Rome, feted on court by her peers and adoring fans. 

​Pennetta first broke into the WTA top 10 in 2009, reaching a career high of #6 shortly after winning her maiden Slam title in New York last year. She won the Australian Open doubles title alongside Gisela Dulko in 2011 after the pair had already claimed the WTA Finals doubles crown in 2010. (Of her 17 doubles titles, 11 of them were won with Gisela Dulko as her partner.) She made a further two doubles finals at the U.S. Open, in 2005 and 2014. Pennetta was also part of four Fed Cup winning teams for Italy, owning a career 25-5 record in the event.

​All told, Pennetta won 11 WTA singles titles, including Indian Wells in 2014. She also reached at least the quarterfinals in seven Grand Slam singles events. Between 2004 and 2009, Pennetta made the finals in six consecutive appearances in Acapulco, winning twice. Pennetta currently holds the #13 ranking on the WTA Tour despite not having played a match since the WTA Tour Finals last October. 

The 18th installment of "This Week In Tennis" is squarely focused on the Madrid Open. Whereas previous editions covered multiple tournaments on both tours, the joint event in Madrid was the sole offering for tennis fans last week. Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep were the titlists in singles, while Garcia/Mladenovic and Roger/Tecau were victors in doubles.

As usual, #ThisWeekInTennis will recap the major happenings on both tours, bringing you all the newsworthy events, tweets, press quotes, tennis writings, and podcasts.

Let's get started!

ATP
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​RUNDOWN

• Novak Djokovic won Madrid for his fifth title of 2016 and improved his win-loss record to 33-2. His two losses came via retirement in Dubai against Feliciano Lopez and to Jiri Vesely in Monte Carlo. Djokovic's Madrid win, coupled with Nadal's pair of titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, bode well for a blockbuster Roland Garros in two weeks. 
• Andy Murray came within a set of defending his title in Madrid. After a straight sets win over Nadal in the semis, a repeat of last year's final, Murray again lost to Djokovic in a high stakes event. Their head-to-head is now 23-9 in favour of Djokovic who has won 12 of their last 13 matches.
• Meanwhile, Murray and Amélie Mauresmo have announced the end of their coaching relationship.
• Kei Nishikori continued his consistent 2016 by reaching his seventh quarterfinal from eight events. His last three have been even more impressive: Madrid (SF), Barcelona (F), and Miami (F), losing only to Djokovic and Nadal.
• Nadal's win streak ended in Madrid. The resurgent Spaniard entered having won his two previous starts in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, but was unable to get a 14th consecutive tour win against Andy Murray in the semifinals.
• Tomic had a rough week in the press. He was lambasted for his non-attempt to return serve down match point in Madrid, then he retired from his opening match in Rome after ten minutes and three games against Benoit Paire.
• Do yourself a favour and follow Eric Butorac's blog and scour the internet for his writings for other tennis outlets.  
• Serving at 4-2 in the third set of the Madrid final, Djokovic received a time violation warning from umpire Mo Lahyani.  Murray interjected saying he had held up Djokovic five seconds prior when the Serb was ready to serve.

I won't bore you with a long preamble this week. Instead, you can scroll down and see for yourself what tennis had on offer in week 17 of the 2016 season. 

Week 17 Titlists: Lucie Šafářová (Prague), Timea Bacsinszky (Rabat), Diego Schwartzman (Istanbul), Nicolas Almagro (Estoril), Philipp Kohlschreiber (Munich).
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WTA
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​RUNDOWN
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• Lucie Šafářová found form in Prague on her way to taking the title. Last year's French Open finalist won her first singles match of the year before parlaying that into the seventh title of her career. 
• Sam Stosur made her first final since July 2015 (W - Bad Gastein), but was unable to get past Šafářová in three sets.
• Timea Bacsinszky scored her fourth career WTA title in Rabat, and first ever on clay. 
• Kuznetsova continued her stellar 2016 with a run to the Prague semifinals before conceding a walkover to Sam Stosur. The result pushes her up one spot in the WTA rankings to #12. 
• Marina Erakovic made it through qualifying in Rabat all the way to the final. Ranked #186 at the start of the week, the former world # 39 is now within reach of a direct entry into the French Open with a new ranking of #128
• The top four seeds made the semifinals in Prague, the first time this has happened on the WTA Tour since Monterrey 2015.
• Check out the WTA version of the Spelling Bee for a few laughs. 
• Madison Keys has (another) new coach.
• Serena Williams pulled out of Madrid citing illness, which means neither Williams sister will be participating this year.