Roland Garros 2018, Paris, France, ATP GRAND SLAM

[Moxie]

DATE: May 27, 2018 - June 10, 2018
SURFACE: Clay
PRIZE MONEY: €16,790,000
FIELD SIZE: 128
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Rafael Nadal

Seeds:
1 Rafael Nadal
2 Alexander Zverev
3 Marin Cilic
4 Grigor Dimitrov
5 Juan Martin del Potro
6 Kevin Anderson
7 Dominic Thiem
8 David Goffin
9 John Isner
10 Pablo Carreño Busta
11 Diego Schwartzman
12 Sam Querrey
13 Roberto Bautista Agut
14 Jack Sock
15 Lucas Pouille
16 Kyle Edmund
17 Tomas Berdych
18 Fabio Fognini
19 Kei Nishikori
20 Novak Djokovic
21 Nick Kyrgios
22 Philip Kohlscreiber
23 Stan Wawrinka
24 Denis Shapovalov
25 Adrian Mannarino
26 Filip Krajinovic
27 Damir Dzumhur
28 Andrey Rublev
29 Richard Gasquet
30 Feliciano Lopez
31 Gilles Muller
32 Fernando Verdasco

The Tournament:

A French national tournament has been held since 1891. For some time it was open only to French citizens, or members of French clubs. In 1925, it was opened to international amateurs, and in 1968 it was the first Grand Slam event to go "open," allowing amateurs and professionals to compete. It has always been played on clay. In recent years there has been great controversy over plans to either expand the current facilities, or relocate the event. Relocation seems to be off the cards, but the expansion plans are still being debated and fought in the courts.

About the City

Paris is one of the most charismatic and romantic cities in the world. It is an art mecca, a gastronomic destination, a film capital and the crossroads of Europe. It is the City of Light, softly beautiful in its gardens, monuments and boulevards, and hard-edged, in its blue-collar neighborhoods, its banlieue. Go to the top of the hill at Sacre Coeur at sunset and watch the lights come up. Also, sit in a cafe in a quiet neighborhood, like the Marais, and watch the world go by.

 

[Moxie]

I figured it was time to get the RG thread up. As I was typing in the seeds, I was surprised how different they were from last year's.

 

[10isfan]

Potro hasn’t withdrawn yet? That’s surprising

 

[britbox]

Seems a bit weird seeing Cilic as third seed at RG

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Draw ceremony at 6 p.m. local time (Noon EDT). They are showing it live.

I cannot remember the last time no one was anxious about the draw.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Here are the latest odds for winning RG outright.

Only 10 players have more than 1% chance of winning RG. Four of them are contenders and six of them are pretenders.

Rafa's chances of winning is more than double that of the chances of the rest of the field combined.

Sasha is ahead of both Thiem and Novak, who are tied.

Goffin is ahead of rest of the pretenders.

1. Rafa Nadal 10/21 (67.74%)
2. Sasha 9 (10%)
3. Thiem / Novak 12 (7.69%)
5. Goffin 40 (2.43%)
6. JMDP / Cilic / Man 50 (1.96%)
9. Nishikori / Grigor 66 (1.49%)
11. Shapo / Shortman / Monfils / Edmund / Pouille / Kyrgios / PCB (yes, 7 way tie) 100 (0.99%)

I think the odds are right on the money. Can't find fault with it.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Seeds,#17 thru #20 are much better clay court players than #14 ,15 & 16...IMO

 

[10isfan]

Can someone point me to the site which will show the draw ceremony live? I think it was on YouTube last year.

 

[Carol]

Can someone point me to the site which will show the draw ceremony live? I think it was on YouTube last year.

Here is

https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/article/watch-the-roland-garros-draws-live

 

[the AntiPusher]

Here is

https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/article/watch-the-roland-garros-draws-live

Thanks Miss Carol

 

[monfed]

When is the draw?

 

[10isfan]

When is the draw?

Men’s draw on now. Go to FB.

 

[monfed]

 

[10isfan]

Nadal should go buy a lottery ticket while this unnatural luck is smiling upon him.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Well, actually Rafa's draw is not a cakewalk. He has reasonable opposition, considering that the entire field is generally weak.

Of course, Thiem/Sasha/Novak/Stan all being on the other side makes it easy. To be fair one of Novak/Thiem should have landed on Rafa's half.

But, there are semi-dangerous folks like unpredictable Dog, Clay title winner Sousa, Youthful Shapo and tricky Shortman along the way, at least.

 

[10isfan]

If any of those semi-dangerous players won a set, I’d be surprised.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

If any of those semi-dangerous players won a set, I’d be surprised.

The point is that all of them are matches, that I will consider watching with a small hope against hope. However, these folks are much better than other opponents, who I would not even consider watching those matches.

 

[The_Grand_Slam]

Bottom Half is stacked

 

[10isfan]

The only chance of Nadal not winning the title is injury. The draw made it even less compelling to watch.

 

[MartyB]

The only chance of Nadal not winning the title is injury. The draw made it even less compelling to watch.

I didn't this it was possible but the women's event here is far more interesting...Never thought I'd say that. Total snooze fest. Sorry Nadal fans but it's a coronation and not even drawing the elite clay courters on his side of the draw just made it even less watchable for me plus a weak and disabled DelPotro in his draw who may not even play.