WITH THE 2014 French Open starting on Sunday, men?s World No 1 Rafael Nadal is heading to Paris in search of his ninth ?clay? title, while women?s world champion Serena Williams is looking at making it to her third win at Roland Garros.

Last year in Roland Garros, Nadal beat compatriot David Ferrer in straight sets to claim his fifth straight and eighth overall title while Williams defeated Maria Sharapova to claim the women?s title, her second overall. However, the equations are different this year.

Though it can?t be ignored that Nadal is 59-1 over the last nine years in Paris, with his sole loss coming to Robin Soderling in 2009, this is the first time that he?ll start the French Open with three clay losses and just one European clay title for the season. He won the Madrid Open after Kei Nishikori retired in the third set.

The same goes for Williams, who lost combined two sets en route to titles in Brisbane, Miami and Rome. But losses to Ana Ivanovic in the Australian Open, Alize Cornet in Dubai and Jana Cepelova in Charleston, along with an injury withdrawal in Madrid, broke her momentum.

One of the four Grand Slam tournaments of the season, the French Open is the premier clay-court competition, which takes place four months after the Australian Open and before Wimbledon and the US Open. The 2014 tournament is the 113th edition. We take a look at the top contenders this season.

American powerhouse

Serena Williams

Williams, 32, is all about the Grand Slams at this stage of her career, and winning the French Open for the third time is exactly what she needs to feed her motivation for Wimbledon and the US Open.?

Career titles: 60 (WTA)

Grand Slam (singles): 17

Prize money: Over $56 million

Russian beauty

Maria Sharapova

The Russian has lost to only two players on clay in the last three years?Williams in the 2013 French Open final and Ana Ivanovic last week in the Italian Open.?

Career titles: 31 (WTA)

Grand Slam (singles): 4

Prize money: Over $27 million

New Swiss No 1

Stanislas Wawrinka

The Swiss professional wowed the crowd in Monte Carlo masters last month by winning a final over Roger Federer. But then he followed that up with early

exits from Madrid and Rome.

Career titles: 7

Grand Slam (singles): 1

Prize money: Over $12 million

Tough challenger

Novak Djokovic

The Serbian has been knocking on the door in Paris for the last three years, but could not yet pass the Nadal test. He is 2-0 against Nadal this season and 4-0 since losing last year?s US Open final.

Career titles: 44

Grand Slam (singles): 6

Prize money: $61 million

New stalwart

Simona Halep

The new No 4 Halep is a clay-court stalwart and is ready to deliver in Paris. She took Sharapova to three sets in the Madrid final.

Career titles: 7 (WTA), 6 (ITF)

Grand Slams: 0

Prize money: Over $3 million

Geared up

David Ferrer

Last year?s finalist, Ferrer beat Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo and came close to doing the same against Novak Djokovic in Rome. But can he continue with his form in Paris?

Career titles: 21

Grand Slam (singles): 0

Prize money: Over $22 million

Clay king

Rafael Nadal

Though the world No 1 has shown signs of slippage, winning three sets against him on clay still remains the toughest task in tennis.

Career titles: 63

Grand Slam (singles): 13 Prize money: $67 million