PARIS — Men to watch at the French Open, which begins Sunday (rankings in parentheses; statistics through Thursday):

RAFAEL NADAL (1)

Age: 22 (turns 23 on June 3)
Country: Spain
2009 Match Record: 41-4
2009 Singles Titles: 5
Career Singles Titles: 36
Major Titles: 6 — French Open (’05, ’06, ’07, ’08), Wimbledon (’08), Australian Open (’09)
Last 5 French Opens: ’08-Won Championship, ’07-W, ’06-W, ’05-W, ’04-Did Not Play
Topspin: Trying to become first to win five consecutive French Open titles; Nadal and Bjorn Borg (1978-81) are the only men with four straight. ... 28-0 at Roland Garros and never extended to five sets; didn’t lose a set last year in Paris. ... Won 150 of last 155 matches on clay, but a 33-match streak on the surface ended Sunday with loss to Roger Federer at Madrid. ... Seeded No. 1 at Roland Garros for first time.

ROGER FEDERER (2)

Age: 27
Country: Switzerland
2009 Match Record: 26-6
2009 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 58
Major Titles: 13 — Wimbledon (’03, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’07), U.S. Open (’04, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08), Australian Open (’04, ’06, ’07)
Last 5 French Opens: ’08-Lost in Final, ’07-F, ’06-F, ’05-SF, ’04-Lost in 3rd Round
Topspin: Only major championship he hasn’t won; three runner-up finishes — all to Nadal. ... Trying to become only the sixth man with a career Grand Slam. His 13 major titles rank second to Pete Sampras’ 14. ... Has reached the final at 14 of past 15 majors. ... Only man he’s lost to at Roland Garros over last four years is Nadal. ... Victory over Nadal in Madrid ended 6›-month title drought.

ANDY MURRAY (3)

Age: 22
Country: Scotland
2009 Match Record: 31-5
2009 Singles Titles: 3
Career Singles Titles: 11
Major Titles: 0 — Best: F, at U.S. Open in ’08
Last 5 French Opens: ’08-’3rd, ’07-DNP, ’06-1st, ’05-DNP, ’04-DNP
Topspin: First British man to get as high as No. 3 since ATP computer rankings began in 1973. ... Reached first career semifinal on clay at Monte Carlo last month, before losing to Nadal. ... Spent 2› years in Barcelona, from age 15, so clay is not unfamiliar to him. “It’s a surface I can play well on, and I used to play well on when I was younger, when I trained a lot on it,” Murray says.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC (4)

Age: Turns 22 Friday
Country: Serbia
2009 Match Record: 37-11
2009 Singles Titles: 2
Career Singles Titles: 13
Major Titles: 1 — Australian Open (’08)
Last 5 French Opens: ’08-SF, ’07-SF, ’06-QF, ’05-2nd, ’04-DNP
Topspin: Finalist at four of his last five tournaments. The exception: Nadal beat him in the Madrid semifinals after Djokovic wasted three match points. ... Began working last month with a trainer who used to help 1995 French Open champion Thomas Muster.

JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO (5)

Age: 20
Country: Argentina
2009 Match Record: 25-8
2009 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 5
Major Titles: 0 — Best: QF, at U.S. Open in ’08, Australian Open in ’09
Last 5 French Opens: ’08-2nd, ’07-1st, ’06-1st, ’05-DNP, ’04-DNP
Topspin: Youngest member of Top 10. ... After Grand Slam breakthrough at U.S. Open last year, followed by Australian Open showing, now could be ready to shine at Roland Garros.

ANDY RODDICK (6)

Age: 26
Country: United States
2009 Match Record: 27-6
2009 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 27
Major Titles: 1 — U.S. Open (’03)
Last 5 French Opens: ’08-DNP, ’07-1st, ’06-1st, ’05-2nd, ’04-2nd
Topspin: Hasn’t won a French Open match since 2005. ... Missed last year’s tournament with right shoulder injury. ... Averaging 10.7 aces per match in 2009. ... After taking time off while getting married, returned at Madrid Open and looked good against Federer before losing in three sets.

GILLES SIMON (7)

Age: 24
Country: France
2009 Match Record: 18-15
2009 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 5
Major Titles: 0 — Best: QF, at Australian Open in ’09
Last 5 French Opens: ’08-1st, ’07-2nd, ’06-1st, ’05-1st, ’04-DNP
Topspin: Highest-ranked of a young crop of French talent that includes No. 9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (’08 Australian Open runner-up) and No. 11 Gael Monfils (’08 French Open semifinalist now beset by knee problems). Another member of the group, No. 21 Richard Gasquet will miss the French Open after allegedly testing positive for cocaine. ... No Frenchman has won French Open since Yannick Noah in 1983.