NOTE: "Dark Horse" selections must be seeded No. 20 or lower; "Bust" selections must be seeded No. 10 or higher.
BRAD KALLET, ONLINE EDITOR: Andy Murray
Murray won his second Masters title on clay last week in Rome, and downed Novak Djokovic in the final in the process. He’s confident, he's proved he can play on this surface and he’s due.
ED MCGROGAN, SENIOR EDITOR: Novak Djokovic
If not now, when? Yes, Rafael Nadal and Murray pose significant challenges, but Djokovic—in the absolute prime of his career—can't let this missing Slam linger. Like the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals, who dominated the regular season but yet again stumbled when it mattered most, there are no excuses.
NINA PANTIC, ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Rafael Nadal
Yes, he lost his seventh straight match to Djokovic in Rome, but Paris is a place where Nadal shines and Djokovic cracks. The rest of his draw is littered with challenges (case in point: Fabio Fognini), but in six out of seven years that he’s won Monte Carlo and Barcelona, he’s taken home the Roland Garros title.
STEVE TIGNOR, SENIOR WRITER: Rafael Nadal
With Fognini in the third round, Dominic Thiem in the fourth and Djokovic in the semis, Rafa may have to run a gauntlet. But if the nine-time champ survives the early tests, he'll be strong enough in the second week to get his 10th French title.
KALLET: Serena Williams
Serena proved in Rome last week that, despite the nine-month title drought, she’s still the best in the world. The women behind her are too inconsistent and Victoria Azarenka is banged up. The American takes home No. 22.
MCGROGAN: Simona Halep
I don't make this pick with conviction, as Halep has taken opening-round losses in two of her last three tournaments. But in between those duds, she reached the final in Madrid. Furthermore, there is no clear choice at this year's French. Seeded sixth and away from the spotlight, Halep should feel that the pressure's off.
PANTIC: Serena Williams
Despite all the unpredictability of the women’s tour this season, it’s tough to doubt the world No. 1. Now that Serena has had a few challenges, and a few losses, she’s picked up something she’s been lacking: extra motivation. Her sweep through the Rome draw is an indication that she’s ready to throw down in Paris.
TIGNOR: Serena Williams
Serena has lost early at the French in two of the last four years, and she hasn't won a Slam since Wimbledon 2015. But last week's win in Rome felt like a reset, and in this WTA season, everyone else is a long shot.
KALLET: Grigor Dimitrov
Dimitrov has underachieved considerably, but the talent is still there. He needs to beat Viktor Troicki in the first round, which won’t be easy, but if he does he has a real shot to get to the fourth.
MCGROGAN: Jack Sock
Milos Raonic's serve, Stan Wawrinka's backhand, Sock's forehand: There's a variety of firepower in the American's quarter of the draw, but he should be up for the challenge. Sock actually hits his forehand with more RPMs than Nadal, who's fared pretty well on the terre battue.
PANTIC: Jack Sock
Things haven’t quite come together for the American this year, but he found his footing on clay, reaching the final of Houston by upsetting John Isner. He’s also scored wins over Juan Martin del Potro and Benoit Paire in recent weeks. Sock’s draw will give him an opportunity to take on Marin Cilic, who he’s somehow never played before.
TIGNOR: Jack Sock
The 23rd-seeded American made it to the second week in Paris last year; this year, his draw—he's in Wawrinka's quarter—offers opportunities.
KALLET: Jelena Jankovic
The veteran knows a thing or two about winning big matches. If she gets past potential third-round opponent Venus Williams—which she’s certainly capable of doing—she can make a run, especially considering the inconsistent state of the tour.
MCGROGAN: Barbora Strycova
To the relief of the top seeds, Strycova is seeded (No. 30). This gritty battler would have been a difficult early-round opponent, as Angelique Kerber found out a few weeks ago in Madrid. The Czech could square off with No. 2 seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the third round, and that could go either way.
PANTIC: Irina-Camelia Begu
During her semifinal run in Rome, Begu held her nerve, and that’s something the world No. 28 will need to do in Paris. Her upset over Azarenka in Rome was impressive, but so was her win over Garbine Muguruza the week prior on her way to the quarterfinals in Madrid. There’s a new Romanian in town.
TIGNOR: Dominika Cibulkova
Domi has been to the semifinals and the quarterfinals at the French, and she's coming off a run to the final in Madrid earlier this month.
KALLET: Tomas Berdych
Berdych split with his coach earlier this week and is coming off an embarrassing 6-0, 6-0 loss to David Goffin. He should beat Vasek Pospisil in the first round, but an upset wouldn’t be shocking.
MCGROGAN: Milos Raonic
The No. 9 seed should get by what looks on paper to be a difficult opener against Janko Tipsarevic, but Mikhail Kukushkin or Frenchman Adrian Mannarino could trouble the big man in round two. He's had some good results on clay, but nothing's been easy.
PANTIC: Tomas Berdych
One doesn’t just lose 6-0, 6-0 for the first time in his career, fire his coach of over a year-and-a-half and rock up to Roland Garros raring to go (zebra print Adidas kit or not). Berdych has reached the semifinals once in Paris (in 2010), but it won’t happen this year, especially with running man David Ferrer in his section.
TIGNOR: Tomas Berdych
The last time we saw Berdych, he was being double-bageled by Goffin in Rome and firing his coach. Now he plays Pospisil to start, and possibly Pablo Cuevas in the third round.
KALLET: Timea Bacsinszky
Bacsinszky reached the semis at Roland Garros last year, so she'll be under a lot of pressure to follow that up with another terrific performance. She could face the reborn Eugenie Bouchard in the second round.
MCGROGAN: Venus Williams
The 35-year-old is just 2-4 in her last six matches, and the physical demands of the French won't help her cause. You have to wonder if Venus' mind, like Roger Federer's, is on Wimbledon and the Olympics.
PANTIC: Roberta Vinci
Vinci has fallen early in her past three clay-court events, and has only made it beyond the quarterfinals once this year (during her very respectable title run in St. Petersburg). The seventh seed lacks consistency, and at this stage of her career, it’s likely never coming.
TIGNOR: Angelique Kerber
The No. 3 seed is just 13-8 at the French Open, and has reached the quarters only once. She's also coming off early losses in Madrid and Rome.