1. Rafael Nadal vs John Isner: John Isner has really struggled this season. He began the season ranked inside the top 20 at number 19 in the world but has now fallen to 39 because of a rough 5 months to start the season. He is just 9-12 this year. Isner is not at all a clay court specialist and is much better on hard courts. John is just 3-5 on clay courts this season and hasn't reached the semifinals of any clay court tournament. Isner has never made it past the 3rd round at the French Open. However, his big serve and ability to hit the big forehand makes him somewhat of a threat to Nadal even if he is really struggling and has never been to good on clay. Nadal said about playing Isner, "He's one of these players that you prefer not to have to have in the first round. His style of game is dangerous. His serve is unbelievable. He can be dangerous... I have to be very focused with my serve."
24. Sam Querrey vs Philipp Kohlschreiber: Philipp Kohlschreiber has always played very well at Roland Garros and he is very good on clay. In 2009, Kohlschreiber beat Novak Djokovic in the third round of the French Open 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 before he was knocked out in the round of 16. On the other hand, Sam Querrey has really struggled on clay. This season he is just 1-3 on clay courts and his only win came because Kevin Anderson had to retire after one set. Sam said about his early season struggles, "Even though I haven't had great results this year, my game feels really good and I actually feel confident. I have been hitting the ball as well as I have ever hit it and I am working really hard. I just need one little spaek to get going... Everyone has their ups and downs aside from gus like Roger [Federer] and Rafa [Nadal], who are pretty consistent at the top. But I think I'm just a bit og a cycle and can turn it around pretty qucikly." Querrey has especially struggled at Roland Garros. He has never made it out of the first round and is 0-4 at the French Open in his career. Querrey said about his struggles at the French Open, "I have never won a match at the French, so the goal is to win one match. That is all I am really focusing on right now. I can't afford to look beyond that... Sometimes in sports you make runs out of nowhere. It would be great to do that here [at the Fench Open] and prove everything wrong." Thus, this matchup is so intriguing and could definitely be a possible upset because Kohlschreiber plays so well on clay and Querrey struggles so much on clay especially at Roland Garros.
3. Roger Federer vs Feliciano Lopez: Rafael Nadal is not the only highly seeded player who has a difficult first round match. Roger Federer will have a tricky match with the Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. In fact, Lopez and Federer played a great match early this month in the 2nd round of Madrid that lasted nearly three hours. Federer won the extremely tight match, where all three sets went into tiebreakers, 7-6 (15-13), 6-7 (1-7), 7-6 (9-7). Federer even had to save a match point during the third set tiebreak. Although Federer has never lost to Lopez and is 0-8, Lopez looks like a different player in 2011. Lopez has had a terrific season especially on clay as he made it to the quarterfinals of Bareclemona and the finals of the Serbia Open before he lost to Djokovic. Although most people believe that Federer will advance out of the first round, Lopez will be a tricky opponent especially if he is playing well.
Lleyton Hewitt vs Albert Montanes: This is by far the most intriguing matchup of two guys who aren't seeded in the French Open. Lleyton Hewitt hasn't played since he lost to Yen-Hsun Lu in the first round of Indian Wells due to a foot injury. However, as always you can expect the Aussie to fight, scrap, and crawl for every point like he always does. His coach Tony Roche said about Hewitt playing through the pain at Roland Garros, "I think he's used to that. Look, he'd be the toughest competitor that I've ever seen. He's had a lot of setbacks over the last couple of years but he keeps bouncing back... It's his first tournament back fom his operation. It's a big ask, but he could do it... Lleyton is still as keen as ever. He feels in the grand slams, given the right opportunity, that he can still be competitive with the top guys." The other side of this matchup is the Spaniard Albert Montanes. He is a clay court specialist, as his 4 runner-ups and 5 tournament victories, have been all on clay courts. His only winning record at a major is at the French Open. He has made it to the third round of the French Open 5 times. However, this season Montanes has just not been good on the clay. He is 6-7 in 13 matches on clay this season and his ranking has dropped from 25 at the beginning of the season to 37.
13. Richard Gasquet vs Radek Stepanek: Richard Gasquet has looked absolutely fantastic this season. He began the season ranked 30 in the world and has moved up 16 spots to number 14. At Rome, Gasquet had a great tournament. He beat Roger Federer in the third round 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4). Gasquet beat Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 before his great tournamnet ended with a loss to Rafael Nadal 5-7, 1-6. He showed his new found toughness and grit by coming back to beat both Federer and Berdych after dropping highly contested first sets in both matches. Gasquet showed his maturity, which he failed to show when he was younger and has shown his resolve and determination to fight for every point. His change of attitude makes him look like a real contender to make a deep run at Roland Garros as long as he can first get by the old veteran Radek Stepanek. Stepanek was ranked in the top 20 just last year but has fallen to 57 in the world now. However, he has begun to show his 2010 form, which should be dangerous for Gasquet. He beat Marcos Baghdatis at Monte Carlo in the first round and made it to the semifinals of Munich on clay.
25. Juan Martin Del Potro vs Ivo Karlovic: Juan Martin Del Porto is 6'6. Ivo Karlovic is 6'10. These two guys are huge and their first round match at the French Open should have huge serves and hitting from both guys. Although Del Potro hits the ball very hard and flat, he is also very good on the dirt. In 2009, he made it to the French Open semifinals. Del Potro has been working himself back into shape and tennis form this season after a 9 month break due to a wrist surgery. Del Potro has played pretty well since his return. He has won 2 tournaments and has beaten 5 players in the top 20 including Robin Soderling in straight sets twice, Fernando Verdasco, Mikhali Youzhny, and Marin Cilic. Karlovic and Del Portro aren't very familiar with each other either, as their only meeting was on grass four years ago. Both of these guys are great servers. Karlovic ranks 1st in 1st serve points won at 80%, service game won at 91%, and break points saved at 73%. He also ranks 2nd in aces with 357. Del Potro is a pretty god returner. He rankes tied for 2nd with Novak Djokovic and only behind Andy Murray in break points converted at 50%. Del Potro isn't too bad serving himself either. He rankes 6th in service games won at 87%, 5th in break points saved at 68%, and 5th in 2nd seve points won at 55%. It should be a great match especially if Karlovic can serve well and stay in the match.
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