Last year at this time, Novak Djokovic was in the midst of one of the most dominant runs in the history of men's tennis, which culminated in his first French Open title. Oh, how quickly things can change. Djokovic is still the No. 2 player in the world, but his record since capturing last year's crown is very modest: He's 20-6 with only a single title in 2017. Hardly Djokovic-like.
Arguably the most intriguing aspect of this year's tournament is the addition of Andre Agassi as Djokovic's new coach. Of course, Rafael Nadal fans might disagree, as their man seems geared up to make a run for his 10th Roland Garros title. Yes, his 10th!
On the women's side, Serena Williams is out due to her pregnancy, which leads me to say just two words regarding this draw: wide open.
With that, here are my four predictions for this year's French Open:
1. La Decima. Rafa has been priming himself for this moment all year, and, boy, does he look primed, having dominated this spring's European clay-court season, capturing titles in Monaco, Barcelona and Madrid. He's on a mission to prove he can do it again, and in doing so, continue to give himself a chance to recapture the No. 1 ranking. This is especially plausible given that Roger Federer decided to bypass Paris in order to give himself the best chance of winning again at his favorite stomping grounds, Wimbledon and the US Open. Nadal will likely have to go through Djokovic in the semifinal, but do not overlook talented young Dominic Thiem -- the only player to beat Rafa on clay this year -- who could face Djokovic in the quarters.
Prediction: He'll have tough competition down the stretch, but Rafa will hoist French Open trophy No. 10.
2. Without Serena in the tourney, the women's field is quite simply wide open, as we mentioned. Can anyone (anyone!) step to the forefront? Garbine Muguruza, last year's champ, has been inconsistent since winning. Angelique Kerber is the top seed, but as majors go, she is least comfortable on the red clay -- as is No. 2 seed Karolina Pliskova. So, Simona Halep ... what do you say?
Prediction: Halep finally got her game together on the red clay, and if she ever was going to finally win a major, this is the time.
3. Top seed Andy Murray comes into the French in a serious rut, and it won't be any easier for him in Paris, particularly because Juan Martin del Potro and another rising star, Alexander Zverev, are in the Scot's path. Stan Wawrinka is my favorite in the top half, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see Zverev, the recent Rome Masters winner, around for the final weekend.
Prediction: I do not expect to see Murray around late in the tournament.
4. As for the Americans overall, Venus Williams is still a threat, but the grass at Wimbledon is clearly her best shot with little sister out of action. Madison Keys and Coco Vandeweghe are the next-highest-ranked Americans, but their high-octane games are unlikely to be suited for the red dirt over two weeks. As for the men, Jack Sock and John Isner are still the best bets to be around in Week 2, but seeing them realistically in the final four would take a healthy dose of optimism.
Prediction: The Americans overall will hold their own, but no one will be holding a trophy in two weeks' time.