2016 French Open predictions

The second major of the season is fast approaching, and theScore's esteemed tennis writers, Joe Wolfond, Michael Amato, and Michael Chandler, are here to help handicap the clay-court spectacle.

Here are your predictions for the 2016 French Open:

Men's champ

Amato: Rafael Nadal

With Roger Federer and Gael Monfils withdrawing, the field has already been thinned out. Of course, Nadal still has Novak Djokovic to overcome, but Nadal has rebounded from an early exit at the Aussie Open to put together a solid season. He notched recent wins in Monte Carlo and Barcelona to build some momentum toward what may be his best chance to win another major. It's easy to forget the Spaniard has still only lost twice at Roland Garros in his career.

Chandler: Novak Djokovic

As Federer's Grand Slam streak comes to an end, so too will another sequence that in part has defined a career: Djokovic's bridesmaid status at Roland Garros. Runner-up in three of the last four finals, Djokovic will cruise to his first career French Open title, extending his dazzling run to four successive Slams on the bounce, and six of the last eight.

Wolfond: Andy Murray

Could Murray finally be ready to turn the tables on his longtime frenemy and professional scourge? He took Djokovic to five sets in the semis a year ago and this time around, he won't have to contend with him until Championship Sunday, if at all. Murray hasn't even made a final at the French, but he may never have a better shot to win it. He's got a favorable draw, could catch a hiccoughing Djokovic at the right time, and is playing the best clay-court tennis of his life, having just scored his first win over the world No. 1 on the surface in a decisive Rome Masters final.

Women's champ

Chandler: Serena Williams

The women's side has experienced a fickle run, but if there's one thing in tennis to set a watch to, its Williams, who should win her third French Open in four tries. A finals spot appears straightforward, with only Victoria Azarenka posing a threat in Serena's half of the bracket (apologies to Aussie champ Angelique Kerber), while the other side is littered with the likes of Aga Radwanska, Simona Halep, and Garbine Muguruza.

Wolfond: Garbine Muguruza

Like nearly every top women's player this side of Serena, Muguruza has been plagued by inconsistency, nerves, and early-round letdowns ever since breaking through to her first Slam final at last year's Wimbledon. It's been a bumpy start to the season for the 22-year-old, but her talent is undeniable, and she was gifted a cupcake draw. She's played well on clay in the past, and has made the quarters in Paris the last two years - with her 2014 run featuring a 6-2, 6-2 evisceration of Serena.

Amato: Williams

Men's runner-up

Amato: Andy Murray

Murray's defensive game should translate well to clay, but he's yet to have that breakthrough at the French. This year, though, he won't have to see Djokovic or Nadal until the final, and he's coming in with newfound confidence after his landmark victory over Djokovic in Rome. Still, expect Nadal to be a wall he can't break down.

Wolfond: Djokovic

It'll only be fitting for the guy Djokovic has locked out of the Aussie Open title a record four times, to extend Djokovic's own run of heartbreak at Roland Garros. There were just too many red flags in Rome to feel confident picking Djokovic here, and, after all the woe he's visited on Murray over the years, for Murray to somehow win the French Open before Djokovic does ... that almost seems too poetic not to happen.

Chandler: Murray

Women's runner-up

Wolfond: Serena Williams

For all she's accomplished, Serena has never successfully defended a French Open championship. She just ended a nine-month title drought in Rome, but she's had an up-and-down year, and she's staring at a loaded quarter of the draw. It says here she'll get past Azarenka in their titanic quarterfinal clash, before running out of steam in the final against an opponent who won’t have had to dig as deep to get there.

Chandler: Garbine Muguruza

A quarterfinalist two years running, the angular fourth-ranked Spaniard will get a chance to play French Open spoiler to Serena for a second time in three years. On the cusp of tennis stardom and, remarkably, only 22 years old, Muguruza will try to reverse the result from last year's Wimbledon final.

Amato: Simona Halep

Halep has the luxury of avoiding Serena and Azarenka before the final. Expect her to take advantage and end up playing for the championship on the second Saturday of the tournament. Halep should parlay a big win in Madrid into her second final at Roland Garros in the past three years.

Men's dark horse

Chandler: Jack Sock

With a potentially underwhelming draw in Stan Wawrinka's quarter, coupled with a potent forehand, the 23-year-old American is poised for a career-best run at Roland Garros. Sent packing in the fourth round a year ago by Nadal, Sock faces a potential tilt with Marin Cilic to better that result this time around.

Amato: Dominic Thiem

The Austrian reached a career-best 13th in the world this year, and was able to knock off Federer earlier this month in Rome. Thiem's game isn't ready to claim a major just yet, but he should make some noise over the next two weeks and has a shot to reach his first grand slam quarterfinal.

Wolfond: Thiem

Women's dark horse

Wolfond: Barbora Strycova

Horses don't get much darker than this; Strycova has won just one French Open match in her career, and that came all the way back in 2004. Still, the fiery, late-blooming 30-year-old has quietly put together a very strong season after helping the Czech Republic win the Fed Cup in the fall. Her steady play has landed her in two quarterfinals and a final, with plenty of quality wins along the way, including over Kerber, Muguruza, Ana Ivanovic, and Timea Bacsinszky. Though the results haven't supported it, her offbeat, varied, guileful game should play well on the dirt. If her draw falls apart - a distinct possibility, with Halep and Radwanska headlining it - Strycova could be poised to make a move.

Amato: Timea Bacsinszky

Bacsinszky is enjoying a solid 2016, capturing a clay title earlier in the season and working her way into the top 10. She also knocked off two top-five players in March, downing Radwanska and Halep. That should give her confidence heading into Roland Garros, where she was a set away from the final a year ago.

Chandler: Dominika Cibulvkova

The Slovakian Cibulkova arrives in Paris seeded 22nd, with low expectations and an unenviable draw that could produce back-to-back tilts against Azarenka and Serena in the Round of 16 and the quarterfinals. On the bright side, previous deep runs at Roland Garros, a title in Poland in April, and a finals run on clay in Madrid three weeks ago are reason enough for belief in the former top-10 player.

Bold prediction

Amato: Djokovic won't reach the semis

The world No. 1 will have to wait at least another year to claim the only major that's eluded him. Djokovic has failed to capitalize on opportunities to claim the tournament in the past, and he isn't exactly coming into this year's festivities on a high note. After getting bageled in a set by Thomaz Bellucci last week, Djokovic then dropped the final to Murray in straight sets. That erratic play could cost him at Roland Garros.

Chandler: Sam Groth bounces Nadal in the first round

A bold prediction deserving of a player whose big personality is bested only by a bigger serve: Sam Groth will beat Nadal in the first round, as those in attendance serenade the winner with a chorus of groans. A blocked nerve and foot operation has plagued the Aussie’s 2016 campaign, making this pick as capricious as it is unpopular.

Wolfond: Exempting myself from this category, since I already picked Andy freaking Murray to win the French Open.