Rafael Nadal to turn up against Alexander Dolgopolov in his first French Open match

05/25/2018

Defending champion Rafael Nadal will begin his French Open campaign by playing against Ukraine's Alexander Dolgopolov in the first round of the tournament. Meanwhile, three-time champion Serena Williams could face longtime rival Maria Sharapova in the last-16 round of this coveted tournament.

Top-seeded Rafael Nadal will start his bid for an 11th Roland Garros title against world number 54 Alexander Dolgopolov. Nadal, fresh from an eighth Rome clay court title has also won his 11th trophies in Barcelona and Monte Carlo already this spring, has a 7-2 record over Dolgopolov. Recalling about the French Open, Rafael Nadal mentioned that he has had so many wonderful memories in Paris.

"It's always special when I come back to Paris where I have had so many wonderful moments in my career," said Nadal at the draw ceremony ahead of the French Open which starts on Sunday.

Nadal's way to the final could turn him against childhood friend Richard Gasquet in the third round, possibly Denis Shapovalov in the last-16, then Kevin Anderson, who he beat in the 2017 US Open final, and third-seed Marin Cilic in the semi-finals.

Among other encounters, Novak Djokovic, the 2016 champion, is going to start against a qualifier and could meet Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round. The draw would also have left Nadal more confident as Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, and clay court dangerman Dominic Thiem, all landed in the other half of the draw where Alexander Zverev is the second seed.

Zverev lost to Nadal in the Rome final last weekend and has never crossed over the third round in Paris and was defeated in the first round last year. The 21-year-old German, who is seeded second in the absence of Roger Federer, begins his French Open against Ricardis Berankis of Lithuania.

On the other hand, three-time champion Serena Williams will face Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the French Open first round and followed with a high-voltage clash against arch-rival Maria Sharapova in the last 16. Former world number one Williams, now ranked a lowly 453, is playing a Grand Slam for the first time since she won her 23rd major at the 2017 Australian Open after which she stepped off the tour to give birth to her daughter in September.

Kristyna Pliskova, the twin sister of world number six Karolina, has never won a main draw match at Roland Garros.