// BEGIN editorial data
 var i = 0;
var spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men = new Array();
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.ID = "spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men";
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.ID_WB = 24762675;
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.sPubDate = "5/22/2008 1:38:17 PM GMT";
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.navsectionID = "3032985"
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.appFmt = 2;
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.itemsPerPage = 1;
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.appWidth = 624;
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.appHeader = "Top contenders in the men's draw at the 2008 French Open";
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.appFooter = "All records on clay as of 5/22/2008";
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.appNavStyle = 3;
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.bDhtml = 0;
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.appLayout = 3;
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.copyWidth = 520;
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.copyMargin = 9;
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men.nCellpad = 15;
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080521_RolandGarrosstadium_h.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Clive Rose", "Getty Images", "273", "394", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Rafael Nadal is the undisputed King of Clay, and he's showing no signs of relinquishing that title. Recognizing that he's the favorite, take a look at the top contenders in the men's draw for this year's French Open championship.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Rafael Nadal","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_RafaelNadal_v.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Roland Magunia", "AFP/Getty Images", "347", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Three-time defending champion Rafael Nadal boasts an impressive 21-1 record in clay-court finals throughout his career and has amassed a spectacular 148-14 record on his favorite surface, including a perfect 21-0 at the French Open. The Spaniard's groundstrokes, hit with sharp angles and heavy topspin, are ideally suited for playing on clay, as are his fluidity, athleticism and speed. His 81-straight clay-court wins from April 2005 to May 2007 still stand as an Open era record for all surfaces. Nadal's 2008 performances leave little doubt that he can capture his fourth-straight at Roland Garros, as he has three titles in four events, including two that came after he defeated Roger Federer in the finals.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Roger Federer","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_RogerFederer_v.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Krafft Angerer", "Bongarts/Getty Images", "358", "255", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "He's the No. 1 player on the ATP Tour, but Roger Federer is not the No. 1 player on clay. He's topped Rafael Nadal just once on the surface, losing to him eight times, the last seven of which have been in tournament finals. A title at Roland Garros is the one achievement that has eluded Federer thus far, and it is a void in his resume he would love to fill. 2008 has been a rocky one for Federer, but his surprising miscues have been more on the hardcourts than on clay. In fact, he has a 14-3 record on clay, and his lone title so far this year was earned at the clay event in Estoril.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Novak Djokovic","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_NovakDjokovic_v.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Krafft Angerer", "Bongarts/Getty Images", "358", "239", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Serbian sensation Novak Djokovic is already a national hero, surging up the ranks last year and becoming the first player from his country to win a Grand Slam singles title when he emerged victorious in the 2008 Australian Open, but a French Open title could add to his allure. Such an achievement isn't a far stretch of the imagination, as Djokovic is a threat on any surface; three of his 10 career ATP victories have come on clay. The past two years Djokovic has reached the quarterfinals and semifinals at the French Open, but to reach the finals he'll likely need to best either Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. He's lost to both of them on clay already this season, falling to Nadal in three sets in the semifinals of the Hamburg Masters and retiring against Federer in the semis at the Monte Carlo Masters. Sandwiched in between those losses was a victory in Rome, where he topped Stanislas Wawrinka in the finals.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Nikolay Davydenko","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_NikolayDavydenko_h.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Valery Hache", "AFP/Getty Images", "273", "348", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Nikolay Davydenko has more career titles on clay than on any surface and has twice reached either the quarterfinals or the semifinals at the French Open each of the past three years. So far this season he has amassed a record on clay of 9-4, but he is just 2-2 in his last two events leading up to the French Open. One of the biggest question marks surrounding Davydenko's chances involve his mental tenacity. In the last year's French Open, he led Roger Federer in three sets, but lost all three.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","David Ferrer","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_DavidFerrer_v.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Roland Magunia", "AFP/Getty Images", "358", "249", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "With the exception of a quarterfinal finish in 2005, David Ferrer's best career result at the French Open has been a trip to the third round. That lack of success is surprising considering his career success on clay, as four of his six ATP titles and four of his five runner-up finishes have come on that surface. This season he has one title on clay and a 11-5 record in clay-court events, with wins over Fernando Verdasco, Tommy Robredo, Nicolas Almagro, Stanisla Wawrinka and Tommy Robredo. ";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Juan Carlos Ferrero","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_JuanCarlosFerrero_h.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Vincenzo Pinto", "AFP/Getty Images", "273", "362", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "It's been five years since Juan Carlos Ferrero captured his French Open singles title, and while he may no longer be as dominant a player he is still a major threat on clay. That much was evident when he shocked Rafael Nadal in straight sets in Rome. Still, he's been inconsistent this season on his favorite surface, pulling off impressive upsets like that one but also losing to players like Marat Safin and Stanislas Wawrinka.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","David Nalbandian","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_DavidNalbandian_v.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Julian Finney", "Getty Images", "358", "240", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Plagued by an injury to his arm, David Nalbandian hasn't had a strong start his clay-court season, compiling a 5-3 record (including Davis Cup matches) on the surface in 2008. It's an unexpected struggle for Nalbandian, who has earned four of his eight career ATP titles on clay and hasn't been ousted from the French Open before the fourth round in each of the last four years. ";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Stanislas Wawrinka","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_StanislasWawrinka_h.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Clive Brunskill", "Getty Images", "273", "379", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Stanislas Wawrinka's lone ATP Tour title came on clay in 2006, and he had a chance earlier this year to earn another clay victory, falling just short in Rome against Novak Djokovic. His success on clay this year (a 10-4 record) has helped him move into the 10th spot on the ATP Tour rankings, achieving a career high. The Swiss player has never made it past the third round at the French Open, but he is a player to watch this year at Roland Garros.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Nicolas Almagro","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_NicolasAlmagro_v.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Stephane Danna", "AFP/Getty Images", "358", "247", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Boasting perhaps one of the most extensive French Open warm-up schedules, Nicolas Almagro also has one of the most impressive clay records this year. In fact, in the seven clay events in which he's played, Almagro has two titles in three finals reached and fell just once before the quarterfinals. Throughout his career, every time he's reached the finals of an event it's been on clay. Still, Almagro may come to regret all of that action, as he was forced to withdraw from his quarterfinal match against Novak Djokovic in Rome with a wrist injury that then subsequently kept him out of the Masters Series Hamburg. If that time off has allowed his wrist to truly heal, he should be able to at least advance to the third round, which would mark a career-best at Roland Garros.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Juan Monaco","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_JuanMonaco_h.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Fabian Bimmer", "AP", "273", "343", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Juan Monaco was playing the best tennis of his career coming into 2007, and he was rewarded with his highest-ever world ranking at No. 14. He's still 14th, but his tennis hasn't been at a similarly high level. Monaco reached the finals at the Vina del Mar clay event early in the year but couldn't compete in the finals because of an ankle injury. Since then, he has a 10-8 record on clay (including one Davis Cup win) and no wins against top players. The three-time clay ATP titlest, however, has the talent and comfort on clay to go far if he's healthy.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Tommy Robredo","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_TommyRobredo_h.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Vincenzo Pinto", "AFP/Getty Images", "273", "398", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Despite the fact he's earned just a 15-11 overall record in 2008, it's hard to ever count Tommy Robredo out at the French Open. A clay-court specialist, he reached the semifinals in his first event on clay this season and later had two straight quarterfinal finishes in Barcelona and Rome. Furthermore, the French Open has always been where Robredo has made the biggest mark, reaching the fourth round or quarterfinals six of the seven times he's made to the main draw.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Fernando Gonzalez","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_FernandoGonzalez_h.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Christof Stache", "AP", "273", "400", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Add Fernando Gonzalez to the list of tennis players who will compete in the French Open at less than perfect health. A leg injury forced him to pull out of his fourth-round match in Rome in the beginning of May, and he hasn't played since. Even at less than his healthiest, however, Gonzalez is still a clay-court threat. He's picked up two titles on clay this year, racking up a 12-1 record (with his lone loss coming as a result of the walkover in Rome). His French Open performances, however, do not bode well for Gonzalez. He's made it past the second round at Roland Garros just once in the past four years.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Mario Ancic","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_MarioAncic_h.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Valery Hache", "AFP/Getty Images", "273", "354", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Returning to top form after missing the Australian Open with injuries, Mario Ancic has made the most of his time back on tour. His best performances this year have been on the hardcourts, but he's competed well on clay despite difficult draws. In the three 2008 clay events he's played, Ancic has topped Andy Murray and lost to Rafael Nadal and Nikolay Davydenko. Ancic reached the quarterfinals at the French Open in 2006, so he undoubtedly has the skill to go similarly far this time around.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Igor Andreev","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_IgorAndreev_h.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Clive Brunskill", "Getty Images", "273", "401", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Two-time clay-court titlest and 2007 French Open quarterfinalist Igor Andreev is a contender again this season, even if his recent playing results don't necessarily provide support for that claim. Although he topped Dmitry Tursunov, Mikhail Youzhny and Nicolas Almagro in his second clay event this season, he also has surprising losses to Evgeny Korolev, Juan Martin Del Potro and Robin Soderling. Still, the Russian is comfortable on clay and should step up at Roland Garros. ";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Carlos Moya","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_CarlosMoya_h.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Krafft Angerer", "Bongarts/Getty Images", "273", "388", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Another player who perks up during clay-court season, Carlos Moya has enjoyed his greatest career success on the red clay. Sixteen of his 20 career titles -- and his lone Grand Slam victory -- have come on clay. Moya hasn't bowed out at Roland Garros prior to the third round in any of the past six French Opens, and he has reached the quarterfinals three times. Three times this season, however, the Spaniard has lost the first match at clay events, although his most recent performance at the Masters Series Hamburg should make him more confident.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Jo-Wilfried Tsonga","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_JoWilfriedTsonga_v.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Krafft Angerer", "Bongarts/Getty Images", "358", "265", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Bothered by a knee injury during the clay-court season, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga refused to use that as an excuse to explain why he was ousted in the first round at the Masters Series Rome. He had better hope some of his trouble was related to an injury, otherwise he may not be long for the French Open draw. He has a 1-2 record on clay this season, with the one win becoming his first ever on the surface. Furthermore, he has very little experience on which to draw at Roland Garros, playing in its Slam just once and falling in the first round. Still, he earns a spot as a French Open contender because of the talent and grit he showed en route to storming into the Australian Open finals earlier this year.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Ivo Karlovic","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_IvoKarlovic_v.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Christophe Simon", "AFP/Getty Images", "358", "270", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "He's never made it past the second round at Roland Garros, but Ivo Karlovic's recent clay performances give him hope of advancing further this year. The hard-serving giant has wins over clay lovers like Paul-Henri Mathieu and Tommy Robredo in his past two events and forced both Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic to first-set tiebreaks before losing.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","Richard Gasquet","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_RichardGasquet_v.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Lionel Cironneau", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "358", "238", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "Richard Gasquet's 2008 clay-court season has been far from ideal so far, as he's suffered to a 1-3 record and fallen against Andreas Seppi, Luis Horna and Sam Querrey. Still, Gasquet will have the support of the French fans, who are desperate for their first French men's singles champion since Yannick Noah in 1983.";

spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i++] = new Array("","James Blake","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Fiss%2C%20Stirling/Images/French%20Open/Contenders%20-%20men/080520_JamesBlake_h.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Lars Baron", "Bongarts/Getty Images", "273", "314", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_FrenchOpen_contenders_men[i-1].body = "The recent American woes in the men's draw at the French Open have been well-documented, and James Blake's struggles have been no exception. He's made it to the third round just once in the five times he's entered the main draw and has never progressed further than that. None of Blake's 10 ATP singles titles have come on clay, but he did reach the finals in Houston earlier this year on the surface. Will that run be enough to give him the confidence he needs to record a career-best at the French Open? His chances will be improved or worsened based on the strength of his draw.";

	// END editorial data