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2017 French Open predictions

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Can anyone stop Rafael Nadal from making it double-digit titles at Roland Garros? Can top-two seeds Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic rediscover their forms at the site of their last Grand Slam meeting? Who'll take advantage of the wide-open women's draw? Is it finally Simona Halep's time? theScore's esteemed tennis writers, Joe Wolfond and Michael Amato, are here to help handicap the clay-court major.

Here are our predictions for the 2017 French Open:

Men's champ

Amato: Rafael Nadal

Nadal will be 31 when this tournament concludes, and he hasn't won a major since 2014, but his dominance at Roland Garros has been staggering. The No. 4 seed also seems healthy heading into the French Open, and made the final in 2017's first major. He steamrolled through the first two rounds at last year's event before a wrist injury forced him to retire from the tournament early. If not for the ailment, Nadal could have very well captured his 10th title, and an injury may be the only thing that can stop him this time around.

Wolfond: Rafael Nadal

After a two-year lull, Nadal's red-dirt supremacy returned in full force this season. The King of Clay rode a 17-match winning streak to titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Madrid, and the quarterfinals in Rome, where he finally ran out of steam against an out-of-his-mind Dominic Thiem. That was the third straight tournament in which Nadal and Thiem met (including twice in finals), and they could see each other again in the French Open semis. If not Thiem, it could be Novak Djokovic blocking Nadal's path to a 10th Coupe des Mousquetaires. In other words, it won't be a picnic. But it's impossible to pick against Nadal given how he's played on his favorite surface in 2017.

Women's champ

Wolfond: Garbine Muguruza

Simona Halep seemed like an obvious pick before it was revealed that she'd torn an ankle ligament in the Italian Open final last week. With her status up in the air, the already scattershot women's draw becomes even more hectic. Muguruza hasn't exactly set the world on fire this clay season, but she looked to be rounding into form in Rome before retiring from the semis with a neck injury, and she's one of the few legitimate contenders in the field who's been there and done that on this stage. Even with a tricky draw, the fifth-ranked Spaniard has as good a shot as anyone to run the table and defend her title.

Amato: Simona Halep

Halep has something to prove after losing in the first round at the Australian Open, and the French may be the perfect opportunity for her to break through and capture her first major. Some of the bigger hitters Halep has struggled against in the past, like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, won't be participating, opening the door for the No. 3 seed. The 25-year-old is also coming into the tourney playing at a high level, winning in Madrid and making the finals in Rome.

Men's runner-up

Amato: Stan Wawrinka

After a rocky start to his career at the French, Wawrinka has embraced the clay over the past two years. The No. 3 seed stunned Novak Djokovic to capture the title in 2015, and had another strong showing last year with a semifinal appearance. Wawrinka has proven he's more than capable of beating anyone in the Big 4, and has quietly accumulated three majors, with only Wimbledon missing for the career Grand Slam. One roadblock on Wawrinka's run to the final will of course be Andy Murray, but the 32-year-old has beaten the World No. 1 on seven different occasions, including twice on clay.

Wolfond: Alexander Zverev

The prodigious 20-year-old had flashed plenty of ability before, but in Rome last week he finally showed his mettle, bashing the ball bravely and holding his nerve in big moments to topple an all-time great in the final. With his first Masters title under his belt, Zverev should be able to ride the wave into Roland Garros, where he finds himself in a totally winnable half of the draw full of slumping, injured, and inconsistent competition. Look for him to emerge from the morass, before being brought back down to earth by Nadal - who double-breadsticked him in Monte Carlo - in the final.

Women's runner-up

Wolfond: Elina Svitolina

The 22-year-old is really coming into her own, with a tour-leading four titles on the year (including two on clay), a career-high No. 6 ranking, and the top spot in the Race to Singapore. A swift mover and a master of controlled aggression, Svitolina's game plays well on the dirt, and with a very workable draw, she's poised to make a deep run. A potential quarterfinal matchup (and Rome final rematch) against Halep could go a long way toward determining who comes out of the bottom half. Expect Svitolina to come through, before inexperience gets the best of her in the final.

Amato: Venus Williams

Williams has had a career renaissance over the past two years, which culminated in a finals appearance at the Australian Open. The soon-to-be 37-year-old once again couldn't overcome sister Serena, but that won't be an issue at Roland Garros. Williams' toughest test in her side of the bracket would be Angelique Kerber, but it's far from a guarantee the World No. 1 will even make the semis. Kerber's made it past the fourth round just once at Roland Garros, and went down in the first round a year ago. Williams may catch a break.

Men's dark horse

Amato: Pablo Carreno Busta

Carreno Busta has his world ranking up to a career-best No. 18, and is coming into the French with a bit of momentum. After finishing as a runner-up at the Rio Open in February, he captured the Estoril Open on clay in May for his third title since last August. His draw isn't terrible, either, and, with a little good fortune, he could find himself in the quarters for a meeting with Nadal.

Wolfond: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Tsonga has been up and down, as ever, but he's got three titles to his name this year, and he's coming off a championship in Lyon in which he looked great in the final against Tomas Berdych. While it's always dangerous to read into outcomes achieved against Berdych, Tsonga is in a very winnable eighth of the draw at Roland Garros. Among the local contingent, he looks like the best hope to make serious noise.

Women's dark horse

Wolfond: Sam Stosur

Stosur always lurks as a threat in Paris, where she was a finalist in 2011. As much as she struggles with her consistency, she can beat anyone in the field when she's on, and her spotty results this year belie how solid she's looked at times (she's mostly just struggled to close matches, going 4-7 in three-setters). Most importantly, if top-seeded Angelique Kerber gets bounced early - which has been happening to her a lot lately - Stosur's draw could really open up.

Amato: Petra Kvitova

It wasn't long ago that Kvitova would have been considered one of the favorites, but an injury to her playing hand from being attacked with a knife put her career in jeopardy. The French will be her first tournament back since the incident in December, and the crowd will unquestionably be behind her. Perhaps their cheers will spark an upset of Kerber in the fourth round, and a run to take advantage of Serena's absence.

Bold prediction

Amato: Eugenie Bouchard makes the quarterfinals

It would be her first time making it that far in a major since the 2015 Aussie, so it won't be easy. That said, Bouchard has been playing inspired tennis of late, defeating Sharapova recently and controlling a match with Kerber before the World No. 1 was forced to retire. She's made a semi at Roland Garros before, and there may be no better opportunity for Bouchard to stake her claim as a major contender once again.

Wolfond: Wawrinka loses in Week 1

The 2015 champ has enjoyed plenty of recent French Open success, and he always seems to raise his level a notch or two at the Slams, but man oh man has he been all over the place this season. His form has been poor more often than it's been good, and it isn't hard to see him getting knocked out by someone like Carlos Berlocq or Fabio Fognini in the first week of the tournament.

Match we most want to see

Wolfond: Garbine Muguruza vs. Kristina Mladenovic, fourth round

On top of the entertainment factor that could come from watching two electric performers go at it, the stakes in this potential matchup would be huge. Muguruza is the defending champ, while Mladenovic has been arguably the most consistent player on tour this season, and a fourth-round meeting could determine which of them ultimately emerges from the top half of the draw.

Amato: Andy Murray vs. Juan Martin del Potro, third round

Del Potro's injury issues have been well documented, but he certainly appeared to be returning to form in 2016. After winning a silver medal at the Olympics, he helped Argentina capture the Davis Cup with a thrilling victory over Marin Cilic in which he came back from two sets down. The match between Del Potro and Murray in the Olympic final was a classic, and fans will no doubt be anxious to see a rematch at the French.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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