FRENCH OPEN: Capsules on women to watch
Women to watch at the French Open, where play begins Sunday:
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SERENA WILLIAMS
Ranked: 1
Age: 34
Country: United States
2015 Match Record: 18-3
2015 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 70
Major Titles: 21 - French Open ('02, `13, `15), Wimbledon ('02, `03, `09, `10, `12, `15), U.S. Open ('99, `02, `08, `12, `13, `14), Australian Open ('03, `05, `07, `09, `10, `15)
Last 5 French Opens: `15-Won Championship, `14-Lost in 2nd Round, `13-W, `12-1st, `11-Did Not Play
Topspin: Only Margaret Smith Court (24) and Steffi Graf (22) have won more Grand Slam singles titles, and Williams can equal Graf's professional-era record by claiming another trophy in Paris. ... French Open is only major tournament she hasn't won twice in a row; also only one she hasn't won six times. ... Won Italian Open on red clay for first title in nine months (although only played in four tournaments in that span). ... Older sister Venus is ranked 11th.
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ANGELIQUE KERBER
Ranked: 3
Age: 28
Country: Germany
2016 Match Record: 26-8
2016 Singles Titles: 2
Career Singles Titles: 9
Major Titles: 1 - Australian Open ('16)
Last 5 French Opens: `15-3rd, `14-4th, `13-4th, `12-QF, `11-1st
Topspin: Stunned Serena Williams in Australian Open final in January to win first Grand Slam title. ... Tied for tour lead for most match wins in 2016. ... Choppy season on red clay includes title in Stuttgart, followed by opening-match losses in Madrid and Rome. ... In eight previous appearances at Roland Garros, only once made it as far as the quarterfinals.
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GARBINE MUGURUZA
Ranked: 4
Age: 22
Country: Spain
2016 Match Record: 15-9
2016 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 2
Major Titles: 0 - Best: F, Wimbledon ('15)
Last 5 French Opens: `15-QF, `14-QF, `13-2nd, `12-DNP, `11-DNP
Topspin: Coming off best showing off season, a run to the semifinals of the Italian Open on red clay. ... One of top young players on tour, showed enormous potential by surprising defending champion Serena Williams in second round of French Open in 2014. ... Made Grand Slam final debut at Wimbledon last year, losing to Williams. ... Only 1-7 in tiebreakers this season.
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VICTORIA AZARENKA
Ranked: 5
Age: 26
Country: Belarus
2016 Match Record: 26-2
2016 Singles Titles: 3
Career Singles Titles: 20
Major Titles: 2 - Australian Open ('12, `13)
Last 5 French Opens: `15-3rd, `14-DNP, `13-SF, `12-4th, `11-QF
Topspin: Led Serena Williams by a set and a break at Roland Garros a year ago before dropping 10 of the last 12 games in a fiery third-round match. ... Averaging 4.3 double-faults per match this year, but also leads tour in several key categories, including percentage of break points saved (67.7) and percentage of service games won (81.7).
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SIMONA HALEP
Ranked: 6
Age: 24
Country: Romania
2016 Match Record: 16-10
2016 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 12
Major Titles: 0 - Best: F, at French Open ('14)
Last 5 French Opens: `15-2nd, `14-F, `13-1st, `12-1st, `11-2nd
Topspin: Won clay-court title at Madrid this month, but lost opening matches on the surface at Stuttgart and Rome. ... Has displayed same sort of inconsistency at Roland Garros. Will she play the way she did two years ago, when he made it all the way to the final before losing to Maria Sharapova (who is missing the tournament this year because of her pending doping case)? Or the way she did while going a combined 2-5 in her other main-draw appearances? ... Won the 2008 French Open junior title.
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MADISON KEYS
Ranked: 17
Age: 21
Country: United States
2016 Match Record: 14-6
2016 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 1
Major Titles: 0 - Best: SF, at Australian Open ('15)
Last 5 French Opens: `15-3rd, `14-1st, `13-2nd, `12-DNP, `11-DNP
Topspin: After losing in Paris a year ago, said she couldn't wait to move to grass courts, but looked more comfortable on clay this time around, making it all the way to Italian Open final before losing to Serena Williams. ... At 5-foot-10 (1.78 meters), generates a lot of power on her serves and off the ground.
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