The Grandest Slam: What factor might Federer play at Roland Garros?

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer are all vying to end their careers with the most majors ever for a male player, and they’re all going to be in the hunt for another at Roland Garros. Could this year’s French Open reshape men’s tennis history? This week, we give early answers to four questions surrounding their three-way showdown in Paris.

Once again, Federer’s decline has proved not to be as inevitable as we believed. As of February, after losses to Kevin Anderson, John Millman and Stefanos Tsitsipas at the last three majors, many wondered if Federer’s Slam-winning days were behind him. We had wondered that before, of course, but this was a season in which he was going to turn 38.

We didn’t wonder for long. While many of us awaited the next Nadal-Djokovic showdown to materialize, it was Federer who reached the Indian Wells final and won Miami. Even better for his fans, he announced that he was going to play the French Open for the first time since 2015. His return will add a sentimental, and possibly significant, twist to the GOAT chase.

Federer has always been a crowd favorite in Paris, but he’s also a five-time French Open finalist. While a second title may seem like a long shot, he could spoil a Djokovic-Nadal party. Federer has beaten Djokovic at Roland Garros before—in 2011, when he ended the Serb’s 43-match win streak—and has won his last five meetings with Nadal.

Those wins all came on hard courts, but could he continue that streak on clay, and finally get a win over Rafa at Roland Garros? If so, it would be a fittingly dramatic curtain-closer on Federer’s legendary career. And pulling out a 21st major would put him four ahead of Nadal and six ahead of Djokovic—that would be a tough number for either to catch.

“When he’s on, he’s still phenomenal,” Annacone says of Federer. “Perhaps his ‘average’ level is a bit lower, but I do think he can and will raise that. Rafa is the favorite as always at Roland Garros, with Novak next, then Thiem. Then you can have another group, which is where I would put Roger."

**Monday, April 29: Introduction

Tuesday, April 30: If Djokovic and Nadal meet in the Roland Garros final, how crucial would it be for the Grand Slam title chase?

Wednesday, May 1: Could someone other than Nadal be favored at Roland Garros?

Thursday, May 2: What factor might Federer play?

Friday, May 3: Whatever the result is in Paris, is Djokovic destined to pass Nadal and Federer in majors?**