"Fearless French Forecast "

Since I have been so highly succesful in the past at predicting the winners and losers of the Majors, I've decided to try again with this year's French Open. Of course if you've read any of my previous columns you know that I totally stink at predictions but it's still worth a try. So who will win on the red clay this year? Your guess is probably better than mine but since it's my column you have to listen to mine and not vice versa.

I can tell you for certain who won't win the french this year. Martina Hingis will not win, she's out with a hip injury. Nor will Mario Ancic (mono), Andy Murray (wrist), or Tommy Haas (shoulder) win. Of these picks I am dead certain. Also, Kim Clijsters has retired. She won't win. I'm definitely not picking Ivan Ljubcic to win. I'm not even picking him to repeat his semifinal showing of last year. As a Hero of the Huddled Masses he's usually shown preferential treatment but not this year. He's had a terrible clay court season and will be lucky to make the quarters. Nadal and Federer are the clear cut favorites. As most everyone knows Nadal had his 81 match win streak on clay broken by Federer at the Hamburg Masters event. Federer had been in (for him) a slump having not won a title in four straight tournaments and splitting with coach Tony Roche. As dumb as it may seem, I'm not picking either of them to win. Fernando Gonzalez has been playing well but has lost twice to Nadal in recent weeks but he should make it to at least the quarters. Andy Roddick has no shot to win, it's clay not grass. Ditto for James Blake. Lleyton Hewitt is playing well and hopefully will make a deep run in the tournament. According to Novak Djokovic he was outplaying Nadal in last year's quarters until his default. I don't think he's ready to break through. Tommy Robredo has the clay court game but not enough power off the ground to win it all. So who am I picking? It's time for Nikolay Davydenko to come through in the clutch for me. He's fit enough to stay out there all day and has enough firepower to trouble both Federer and Nadal. The one problem, not only for Davydenko but for anyone winning it all, is that they will probably have to beat both Federer and Nadal in the same tournament

As much as I hate to say it, the Belgian Quitter is probably the favorite on the women's side. Mauresmo has been fighting injuries and is off form. Besides, she has never been able to handle the immense pressure the French put on her to win her country's tournament. Sharapova has forgotten how to serve and can't beat Serena Williams so if they are in the same half of the draw you can write off Sharapova. Clay has never been Williams best surface and she is not in the best shape of her career. (All of you Jerry Haters are just going to have to face that fact). Petrova always seems to fall short in the majors. So I'm going with another suprise winner on the women's side, Nicole Vaidisova. Why, I'm not sure but I had to pick someone.

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