Watch the Racquet Bracket Show on Tennis Channel on Friday, May 26 at 9 PM ET—then test your skills and play the Racquet Bracket game for the men's and women's draws.
ED MCGROGAN, SENIOR EDITOR: Venus Williams
It took 14 years for Venus to return to the Australian Open final, and it will take her 15 to return to the title match at Roland Garros. She can do it. Even at 36, she hits the ball harder than nearly everyone else in the draw—a necessity, even on slow clay—and her sister's absence could serve as added motivation.
NINA PANTIC, ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Elina Svitolina
It feels like now or never for a new Grand Slam champion, with no Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova or Victoria Azarenka in the draw. (Petra Kvitova is here, but in what shape?). Svitolina has set herself apart from the field with the most titles (4) and most match wins (31) this season. She’s smooth on clay and, importantly, healthier than the other contenders.
BRAD KALLET, ONLINE EDITOR: Garbine Muguruza
I initially pegged Simona Halep to win her first major, but her ankle injury is just too worrisome. If this were the U.S. Open I’d pick Karolina Pliskova, but I don’t like her chances on clay. I don’t feel terribly confident about this, but I’m going with the Spaniard, coming off a terrific Italian Open, to win a second straight French Open.
STEVE TIGNOR, SENIOR WRITER: Simona Halep
She’s nursing an ankle injury and she has a tricky first-rounder against Jana Cepelova, but Halep has been the best player this spring, and she reached the French Open final in 2014. It also helps that Serena, Maria and Vika, three players who can hit her off the court, aren’t here.
MCGROGAN: Caroline Garcia
There's lots of dark-horse potential in a draw where big names are missing and the top seeds are struggling. If the 23-year-old Frenchwoman can manage the inherent pressure of the occasion, she's good enough to go deep. Johnana Konta, the Top 10 seed closest to Garcia in the draw, struggles mightily on clay.
PANTIC: Samantha Stosur
It's easy to forget that Stosur is a Grand Slam champion, and a former finalist at Roland Garros. The No. 23 seed has been building momentum during the clay-court season, and at 33, she has the experience to handle an erratic Petra Kvitova and a struggling Angelique Kerber, both of whom reside in her quarter. Being in the same section as the top seed is often the kiss of death, but not at this Slam.
KALLET:Daria Gavrilova
My initial pick was Laura Siegemund, but she is unfortunately out of the tournament with a right knee injury. I like my chances with the Australian, though. Her run to the Rome quarters was awfully impressive, with wins over Madison Keys, Garcia and Svetlana Kuznetsova. She can handle the dirt and has a knack for upsets.
TIGNOR: Timea Bacsinszky
The Swiss has been injured and is seeded just 30th, but she has been to the semifinals and quarterfinals in Paris the last two years, and the highest seed hear her—No. 6 Dominika Cibulkova—hasn’t been sharp so far this season.
