Tennis Experts pick NADAL to win record 7th French Open

The good thing about predicting Grand Slam tennis winners - is that the predictions may be totally out of whack or spot on. Then again, that's the interesting part of tennis, anything can happen. ESPN's group of 12 select tennis analysts, writers and editors published their predictions with regards to which player will win the Roland-Garros 2012 French Open grand slam. In the men's side, 11 of the 12 experts picked Rafael Nadal to win a record setting 7th French Open title. There was only one vote for Novak Djokovic to complete a rare Novak Slam - a feat last achieved in 1969 when tennis legend Rod Laver won all four majors in the same year.

Who can blame the experts for choosing Nadal? The Spanish world no. 2 has a ridiculous record at the French Open losing just one fluke match and winning six titles in seven attendances. More importantly, Nadal was dominant in this year's clay court season while last year, he appeared vulnerable against the onslaught of a Djokovic 43-match winning streak which included victories over Nadal in Madrid and Rome. This year, Nadal has clearly hit his stride winning Monte-Carlo, Barcelona and Rome, and he defeated the world no. 1 in two of three finals, both wins came in straight sets.

The only bleep in Nadal's preparation was a round of sixteen loss to fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco at the much maligned blue courts in Madrid. If anything, that loss actually helped Nadal as he got some much needed personal rest. Much as Nadal is known for his endurance, four victories on clay in five weeks may not actually be good for his health. In 2009, a visibly weaker Nadal was sent packing home in the fourth round as he failed to adjust his game against Robin Soderling in what until now is his only Roland-Garros loss in forty-six matches.

This year, Nadal has a relatively easy path to the semi-finals. His third round opponent could be no. 32 seed Florian Mayer, and his fourth round challenger may be the winner of the third round match between no. 13-seed Juan Monaco and no. 19-seed Milos Raonic. His quarterfinal opponent could very well be fellow Spaniard and no. 12-seed Nicolas Almagro. No. 8-seed Janko Tipsaveric is Nadal's highest potential quarterfinal opponent but the Serb has struggled in recent months to win back-to-back matches. In the semi-finals, world no. 4 Andy Murray or no. 6-seed David Ferrer could be waiting for Nadal. Then again, Nadal should easily advance to the finals against either players.

The other side of the draw, the top-half is trickier for Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer - the two players expected to challenge Nadal for his quest of yet another French Open title. Djokovic has drawn no. 14-seed Fernando Verdasco as his potential quarterfinal opponent, and he could be in the quarterfinal against the winner of France's top two players in no. 5-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and no. 11-seed Gilles Simon. As for Federer, he is in the same section of the draw as no. 7-seed Tomas Berdych and no. 9-seed Juan Martin del Potro. Both players are tough clay court opponents with Del Potro winning this year's title in Estoril and Berdych almost beating Federer in the Madrid final.

As for the other tennis predictions, tennis experts are looking for the following players to do some damage and live beyond their seeding in this year's French Open - Simon, French no. 3 Richard Gasquet, Raonic, top-ranked American John Isner, and Stanislas Wawrinka.