Vive Le French Open

Sharapova, Serena the favorites

Women's side

Based on form alone, Maria Sharapova enters the French Open as favorite to complete her career Grand Slam, a surprising turn of events for the Miami-based Russian whose relationship with the red dirt has not always been a happy one.

Her recent title in Rome, where she defeated 2011 French Open champion Li Na in the final, coupled with her resounding victory over world No 1 Victoria Azarenka to win Stuttgart a few weeks earlier means she is 12-1 for the clay-court swing and sliding into Paris full of joie de vivre.

Significantly, however, that one blot on her record was inflicted by American Serena Williams on Madrid's blue clay.

Thirteen-time Grand Slam champion Williams, who like Sharapova has endured more than her fair share of injuries over the years, has enjoyed an encouraging season so far and recently went on a 17-match winning streak, including the Madrid title.

Alarm bells rang when she withdrew from her semifinal against Li in Rome because of a knee niggle, but it was thought to be more of a precautionary measure ahead of Paris rather than anything too serious.

Williams, who a year ago was still absent from the Tour after a career-threatening foot injury and health problems, is back up to No 5 in the world and targeting a second French Open crown, 10 years after her first.

Sharapova, whose efforts on clay have often resembled a Formula One car sliding about in the rain on the wrong tires, is yet to win at Roland Garros, although sheer bloody-mindedness has seen her reach two semifinals - the last of which came 12 months ago when she was also tipped to win.

Still only 25, she says patience rather than her trademark power is the key to her form on the dirt, on which she once described her movement as like "a cow on ice".

"I have improved and most of is comes down to the physical aspect and patience," she said after wearing down Li on a heavy, clinging court in rainy Rome.

"It's not about changing my game but relying on the things I have improved like sliding and definitely on the serve."

Call me 'Chantel'

Williams, who says Paris is her favorite city and wrote on Twitter that she should be re-named "Chantel" while at Roland Garros, will prefer the conditions hot and fast.

The 30-year-old has no rival, not even Sharapova, when it comes to aggressive, front-foot tennis - a fact borne out by an 8-2 record over the Russian.

Never short on confidence at the slams, she said: "i just feel better this time around.

"I feel I can play on any surface and that's the right attitude for me. I'm enjoying my tennis. This is where I belong and what I do best."

The favorites have been placed in the same quarter of the women's draw so a potential showdown between the two will come much sooner than expected.

There are also other hurdles to overcome in the women's section. Australian Open champion Azarenka leads the young pack and has already proved herself worthy of the top ranking, both with her play and the mental fortitude that the likes of Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova have yet to demonstrate.

Belarusian Azarenka begun the year in stunning fashion, winning her first four tournaments, and her form on clay has been impressive with finals appearances in Stuttgart and Madrid, where she lost to Sharapova and Williams respectively.

Reuters in Paris