Nadal to hit the ground running
Despite a less-than-ideal preparation, Nadal is the name that leaves more players quaking at the prospect of facing at Roland-Garros than any other before him.
The Spaniard declared in no uncertain terms that if he took his place in the main draw he was up to the challenge this fortnight and what a task he was dealt in fourth seed Alexander Zverev first up.
Zverev comes off his first Masters 1000 title in three years in Rome on Sunday and will face Nadal for the first time since that ill-fated semi-final two years ago in which the pair stood toe-to-toe before a horror ankle injury, which ruled out the German for the remainder of the season.
Should Nadal find a way through he would not have to face his toughest rival and the only player to beat him at Roland-Garros in the past 14 years, Djokovic, until the semi-finals, but he won’t be looking beyond the task at hand.
Belgian former world No.7 David Goffin looms as a second-round opponent for Nadal or Zverev, with 26th seed Tallon Griekspoor, 13th seed Holger Rune and fifth seed Daniil Medvedev the projected seeds before a possible Djokovic semi-final.