The eyes of the tennis world are quickly converging on Paris with Roland Garros set to commence this Sunday.  There is already plenty of discussion pertaining to potential story lines that may emerge over the course of the fortnight, and as always, one of the more popular topics surrounds those men who are the favorites to hoist the trophy on Championship Sunday.

The man apt to be at the top of most people's lists is Novak Djokovic, and for good reason.  The current No. 1 has far and away been the best player for over a year now.  When at or near his best, it is difficult for even the most talented of opposition to hang with him, and even on an off-day, he has repeatedly proven he is difficult to defeat.  In that sense, this could be Djokovic's major to win or lose.  That all said, between his shocking loss in Monte Carlo and the struggles he endured en route to the title in Madrid and the final in Rome, Djokovic has looked more vulnerable in the last month and a half than he did over the rest of the previous year combined.  Some of that may be chalked up to fatigue, and some perhaps to the field starting to make inroads in closing the gap.  But arguably the greatest factor at work here could be nerves inhibiting his ability to allow his game to flow freely.  Djokovic and the rest of the world knows what a Roland Garros crown would mean to him, since it is the only major he has yet to win.  He has to avoid the pitfalls of wanting it too badly because otherwise the biggest obstacle to Djokovic reigning victorious in Paris may be himself.

Another potential obstacle for Djokovic is Rafael Nadal.  It has been a while since the Spaniard could legitimately be considered a favorite at a major, but with the tennis he has produced this spring, he is certainly in contention for this one.  He bagged a couple more titles at his happy hunting grounds of Monte Carlo and Barcelona, and although he fell short in Madrid and Rome, it took the likes of Andy Murray and Djokovic to defeat him.  As the greatest champion Roland Garros has ever seen, Nadal maintains a certain level of mystique at this venue as well.  Furthermore, he has always been one to deflect pressure, and with so much of the world watching to see if Djokovic can complete the career Grand Slam, Nadal does not come in as the center of attention, which suits him just fine.  Given his recent poor track record against Djokovic, he perhaps would appreciate someone eliminating the Serb for him, but Nadal has to like his chances against the rest of the opposition.

Among the rest of the opposition, though, is Murray, and while the Scot has typically not been a top favorite at this tournament, he has earned the right to be considered one this year.  He went three sets with Nadal in Monte Carlo, narrowly missed defending his title in Madrid, and got the better of Djokovic to win the title in Rome last week.  In short, he is playing as well as anyone on the dirt, and as one of the few men in the field who has shown he has what it takes to go all the way at a major, he is not a bad pick to snag his first Roland Garros title.

Of course, the heavy favorites are not the only ones who could waltz away with the hardware.  There are other dark horses and outside favorites too.  Dominic Thiem is hardly likely to garner his first major title this fortnight, but the young Austrian has impressed many with his talent.  He is most at home on the dirt, and he has already put together some notable wins on the surface, including victories over Nadal and Roger Federer earlier this year.

Speaking of Federer, the Swiss finds himself in somewhat unfamiliar territory by not being a favorite, but he at least has to be considered a dark horse.  He has struggled to find his best and stay healthy since knee surgery, but he also is someone who traditionally has not needed a lot of matches to find his rhythm and confidence.  If he can navigate his way through the first week, no one will be taking him lightly in the second. 

Lastly, a player whom no one will be taking for granted is Kei Nishikori.  The top man from Japan plays a big brand of quick-strike tennis, and he has used it to devastating effect against the sport's best.  Nishikori reached the final of the 2014 US Open, and after some stellar efforts against both Nadal and Djokovic earlier this spring, there is no question that he is capable of pulling off the upset against anyone in the field.

For sure it will be entertaining to see how this year's edition of Roland Garros unfolds.  It is a tournament that has produced a multitude of shocking upsets and surprise finalists and champions.  Only time will tell if one of these men will fight his way to the trophy or if someone else entirely will leave the French capital one major title richer.