French Open: James Blake touts Rafael Nadal as favourite for clay court major

Paris, May 25: The qualifiers for the French Open, the clay court major, have already started. The main event will start in few days' time.

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And whenever we talk about clay court, Rafael Nadal, the king of clay, comes into discussion despite not being able to win a major in the last three years.

French Open: James Blake touts Rafael Nadal as favourite for clay court major — File photo: Rafael Nadal with French Open trophy

The Spaniard will turn 31 next week and even though he hasn't won a major in three years and was beaten by Dominic Thiem in Rome this past Friday, many are touting him as the favourite for Roland Garros.

Tennis Channel commentator and former world No. 4 James Blake believes the Spaniard to be the overwhelming favourite to win Roland Garros, which begins on Sunday (May 28).

However, he is also expecting big things from Dominic Theim who inflicted Nadal his first clay court loss of the season last week.

Nadal, the nine-time French Open champion has had a resurgent 2017, going 36-6—including a 17-1 mark on clay—and taking home titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid.

With Roger Federer opting to pull out from the tournament and both Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic struggling for form, Nadal has the best chance to win his 10th French Open title this time.

“I still have to put Rafa in as a pretty heavy favorite the way he's been playing, the way the other top players have been playing," said Blake.

“How much success he's had there, I would think of him as a pretty big favourite.

“I'm excited to see Rafa right now, playing about as well as he's played in the last five years, back where he's dominated so much at the French Open. I think it's great for the sport."

Blake also asked everyone to watch out for Dominic Theim who defeated Nadal last week before eventually losing to Djokovic.

“Thiem, on a given day, can beat anyone in the world, as he showed in Rome," Blake said.

“Thiem, for many years to come, will be a contender there. I think he's someone that will get a Slam at some point in his career. If I had to bet on one he would get, it would be Roland Garros. But it might just be a waiting game for the rest of the tour until Rafa is done collecting all those French Open titles."

Nadal is expected to be the fourth seed behind top-ranked Murray, 2016 champion Djokovic and 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka. Thiem, ranked seventh behind Federer and Milos Raonic, is 29-12 on the year. He won the Rio Open, his eighth career title, on clay back in February.