Two veterans with strong clay resumes, including a former Roland Garros champion, face a pair of young guns rising up the WTA hierarchy as first-round action concludes at the French Open on Tuesday.

Ana Ivanovic vs. Caroline Garcia

It is not uncommon for the opening rounds of majors to be very lopsided.  On those rare occasions when the draw does yield a gem of a match in the first round, it becomes must-see tennis.  The third match of the day on Court Philippe Chatrier falls into that category.

Ana Ivanovic is no stranger to this area. It was the site of her lone major title back in 2008, which helped propel her to the top of the rankings.  She comes into Roland Garros this year once again playing that brand of championship tennis.  Ivanovic has collected some big wins in 2014, defeating Serena Williams as well as Maria Sharapova.  She also arrives in Paris feeling confident on the back of a finalist showing in Stuttgart, a quarterfinal result in Madrid, and pushing Serena Williams to three sets in a Rome semifinal.  Not surprisingly, Ivanovic has been one of the more popular dark horse picks to take the title here.

The problem for Ivanovic is that she will face one of the other popular dark horse picks, Caroline Garcia.  It was here at Roland Garros three years ago where Garcia made a name for himself by nearly upsetting Maria Sharapova.  Andy Murray was so impressed with the young Frenchwoman that he proclaimed she was a future No. 1.  Things have not quite panned out for Garcia since then, but she has started putting the pieces together in 2014.  She resides at a career-high ranking of No. 43, won her first singles tournament in Bogotá earlier this year, and gave Serena Williams all she could handle in Miami.  She also reached the quarterfinals in Madrid, where she secured a win over Sara Errani and pushed Agnieszka Radwanska to three sets, so she will not be short on belief when she takes on Ivanovic.

Much of this match will come down to who can execute her game plan with greater consistency.  Garcia may have a more penetrating backhand, but Ivanovic can control her share of the rallies with her powerful forehand.  Ivanovic holds a slight edge in terms of movement around the court and in the transitional game, but Garcia should enjoy a small advantage on her serve.  With little to separate the two, it could ultimately be Ivanovic’s experience that proves the pivotal intangible in this contest.

Sara Errani vs. Madison Keys

There is a lot that goes into becoming a top tennis player.  Most of it boils down to raw talent and putting in the hard yards to maximize one’s potential.  But there are also those lucky opportunities that occasionally present themselves, and when they do, it is imperative that a player take full advantage of them.  That is what Madison Keys will be looking to do in her opening match against Sara Errani.

Keys has enjoyed steady progress to rise to a career-high ranking of No. 40. At age 19, she is still developing her game and carving her niche on tour.  After reaching the semifinals in Strasbourg, she should be feeling good about where her game is as she gets her Roland Garros campaign underway.  The other factor that should have her feeling relatively confident about her chances of advancing to the second round is that, while she drew a seed, that seed is Sara Errani.

At first, it might seem strange to suggest that Errani is a good opening opponent for anyone, especially someone inexperienced like Keys.  The Italian is a former finalist here in Paris, and she is ranked No. 11.  It is no secret that her favorite surface is clay.  After a progression that saw her reach the quarterfinals in Charleston, semifinals in Stuttgart, and final in Rome, she would appear to be an outside threat once again at this year’s staging of Roland Garros. 

In the Rome final, however, Errani picked up a left thigh injury before heading to the French capital. Depending on how much she has recovered, that left thigh injury could be an important issue in this encounter. Errani has a great all-around game, able to play from both the baseline and in the forecourt with equal ease.  Her favorite shot is the forehand, and she can use that to occasionally dictate play. 

The problem for her is that her ability to use that forehand and employ her all-court style is heavily predicated on her movement.  Additionally, Keys is a big striker of the ball, so Errani needs to be able to call upon her wheels for defensive purposes.  If Keys is able to effectively utilize her favorite weapon, the serve, she could make Errani’s movement a moot point in her own service games.

Both women have a good look at advancing, but this match also should serve as a gauge as to how ready Keys is to take the next step in her career.  Irrespective of Errani’s condition, Keys should put in a respectable showing, particularly since she has been handed a golden opportunity to collect a statement win.