AS PARIS ROLLS OUT GRAND SLAM CARPET, SPOTLIGHT STILL ON BIG 3

The Big 3—Roger, Rafa and Djoko—still rule tennis, and that’s not expected to change in the French Open.

The Big 3 are still very much around. They’re still leading the rankings, still collecting the biggest trophies. And they’re still the dominant figures in men’s tennis, responsible for the main story lines when the French Open starts Sunday.

Roger Federer returns to Roland Garros for the first time since 2015—a decade after he completed the career Grand Slam by winning his only trophy there.

Rafael Nadal seeks a recordextending—and hard-to-fathom—12th title in Paris.

Novak Djokovic bids to win his fourth major championship in a row for the second time in his career, something neither of his two great rivals ever did even once.

They occupy the top three spots in the rankings, with Djokovic followed by Nadal, then Federer. They occupy the top three slots on the list of most men’s Grand Slam titles. And they have combined to win the past nine major tournaments with three apiece.

“Nadal’s reign is never over. Just like Federer’s reign isn’t ending,” said Riccardo Piatti, who coached Djokovic when the Serb was a teen and has worked with other top-10 players. “As long as they play, they’re always very dangerous. But let’s not forget that Djokovic is No. 1.”

Might seem silly now, but there was a stretch when some wondered whether this group might be done with all of that winning.

Federer, now 37, went four and a half years without adding to his Slam count.

Nadal, who turns 33 during the French Open, did not win a title all season until last week at the Italian Open, which is mainly surprising because it means he kept faltering on his beloved clay.

“Been some low moments for me,” he said.

But Nadal looked a lot more like himself in Rome, where he handed opponents a total of four 6-0 sets, including one against Djokovic in the final.

Asked about Paris after that three-set loss, Djokovic said: “Nadal, No. 1 favorite, without a doubt. Then everyone else.”

“He’s one of the greatest champions this game has ever seen,” said Djokovic, who turned 32 on Wednesday, and has another shot at a second noncalendar Grand Slam.