PARIS(AP) Even though it's the only Grand Slam site where he hasn't won a championship, Roger Federer feels quite comfortable in the City of Lights.
That's in part because he's fluent in French, just one of his many languages, a list that includes English and Swiss German.
``Everything here is very natural, very easy,'' Federer said.
What about when he goes to Spain, the land of his rival, Rafael Nadal? That's another story.
I felt like it's hard to get around sometimes in Madrid, for instance, where I don't speak the language,'' Federer said.I don't go to many countries where, you know, I don't speak the language.''
He has lost in the last three French Open finals, each time to Nadal. But Federer did end a five-match losing streak to Nadal - which included the championship matches at Roland Garros and Wimbledon last year, and the Australian Open this year - by beating him in the Madrid Open final last weekend.
That victory gave Federer his first title of 2009.
And as good as he's been over the past several years, collecting 13 Grand Slam titles, he does take time to assess the state of his game.
``I always question myself, you know. I've questioned myself in the best of times, when I was winning four, five titles in a row. 'What can I improve?' 'What can I change to get better?' I think it's important to do that when you're on top of your game, but also again when things were not going so well,'' Federer said.
``There are certain times during the year where you just have to sit down and analyze: Are you happy with what's going on? Could you do more? Should you do less?''
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MAURESMO'S APPROACH: For years, Amelie Mauresmo would come to the French Open as the host country's best hope for a homegrown champion.
For years, those expectations were too much for her to handle. She managed to win Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and reach No. 1 in the rankings, but the best she fared at Roland Garros was reaching the quarterfinals.
I've been trying different kinds of preparations, different ways of arriving here for the French Open. Nothing really seemed to be working,'' said Mauresmo, who is seeded 16th this year and plays Anna-Lena Groenefeld in the first round Sunday.I'm just trying to accept the pressure that is on every French tennis player coming here.''
She was asked what the key would be for her to win the tournament.
``If I only knew,'' Mauresmo said.
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THE MAGICIAN'S 20th: France's Fabrice Santoro will be playing in his 20th French Open, tying the tournament record.
Nicknamed ``The Magician'' for all of the spins and angles he uses while hitting with two hands off both wings, the 36-year-old Santoro is expected to bid adieu to Roland Garros with one final appearance.
This also will be his 67th Grand Slam tournament, extending his Open era record for men and tying Martina Navratilova for No. 2 among all players behind American Amy Frazier's 71. It's Santoro's 43rd consecutive major, the most among active players.
He is 17-19 for his career at Roland Garros, reaching the fourth round in 1991 and 2001. His first French Open was in 1989, and the only year he missed it was 1996.
The only other man or woman to compete in singles at the French Open 20 times was Francois Jauffret, a Frenchman who entered every year from 1961-80. He was a semifinalist in 1966 and 1974.
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DJOKOVIC'S LUCK: Between them, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have won 15 of the past 16 Grand Slam singles titles heading into this French Open.
The one exception in that span? Novak Djokovic's 2008 Australian Open championship.
You can count Djokovic among those current pros who wouldn't have minded if that particular pair of superstars had been born in a different era.
Well, who knows what will happen,'' Djokovic said,but it certainly would make my life a little bit easier.''