Slam Royale: Tennis Fans Don’t Miss The 2016 French Open!

Tennis fans are primed for an edge-of-your-seat battle royale in this year’s French Open May 16th through June 5th. Major players like Djokovic, Nadal, Williams, and Kerber promise a tournament tennis fans will remember.

One of the best story lines of this year’s Roland Garros event, is that of Novak Djokovic, who has the chance to win a once-in-a-generation tennis Grand Slam this year—a feat no one has achieved since Rod Laver in 1969. He’s won four of the last five slam events, and the French Open will be the last slam he needs to achieve a career Grand Slam.

But standing between Djokovic and the Grand Slam is Rafael Nadal, gloriously dubbed the “King of Clay.” Nadal has only been defeated twice on the clay at Roland Garros: first in 2009 by Robin Soderling, and last year by Djokovic in the quarterfinal of the French Open. Although Nadal has been recovering from several debilitating injuries, many believe he can overcome Djokovic and take back his title.

On the Women’s side, it’s a tournament ripe for the taking. Serena Williams is still a threat, but the French Open tends to be her worst tournament. Many point to Angelique Kerber as a likely winner, considering her upset over Williams in the Australian Open finals, but Kerber also tends to fair poorly on clay. Simona Halep, who is the second best female player on clay, has emerged as a possible champion and seems to have her eyes on the prize.

This year’s French Open promises many history-making showdowns and heart-thumping match-ups. Watch it live May 16th through June 5th on NBC and Tennis Channel. To get the Tennis Channel in your home call your local DIRECTV dealer, International Satellite & Antenna Service at 1-800-331-8296 or visit www.dtvocala.com