For years and years — a full decade, in fact — Rafael Nadal ruled the French Open the way no one had ever dominated any Grand Slam tennis tournament, winning 66 of 67 matches and collecting nine championships, including the last five in a row.
This year, his far-poorer-than-usual results on red clay and acknowledged crisis of confidence are generating talk that his reign at Roland Garros might be about to end.
When the season's second major tournament begins Sunday, the lefty from Spain will not be the favorite, despite what he's done in the past.