Learning from the pros

By the watching the pros, amateurs can pick up a few tips. The biggest thing you can learn about playing on clay is that patience is well served -- not going for too much. You want to hit the ball into a location or area of the court instead of a specific spot. In other words you want to hit into a space, not too close to the lines. The best defensive players generally win in clay-court tennis, not the best offensive players. Watch how they use the court and keep the ball high over the net. On clay, you're better off playing safer tennis than high-risk tennis. Players to watch for this are Juan Carlos Ferrero, Gaston Gaudio and Juan Igancio Chela. The real clay-courters wait for the ball but can take advantage of the short ball. It's the fine line of watching when to go for the shot. Andre Agassi is an example of someone who will try and take the ball earlier. He'll play more offensively from the baseline, but he can do it because of his preparation and ball-striking ability. There are few who can do that. You can also learn from watching how they move. You slide on clay, you don't do the quick stopping and starting of hard courts. You anticipate more because you have more time to set up. Balance is important on any surface, but especially on clay. Notice that if you can get a player on the move on clay, you're better off going behind the player, it's harder to change direction quickly on clay. Someone like Gustavo Kuerten, when he's healthy, excels at this. He's able to play defense and offense and make that decision very quickly. Roger Federer has excellent balance. Lleyton Hewitt is a great mover, but on clay he doesn't slide as well. It hurts his movement on clay, but Hewitt is certainly the best on every other surface. -- Patrick McEnroe

First of all, there's a couple a sections of the draw to watch for.

In the bottom half, Roger Federer, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Andre Agassi are three of the favorites. Only one of those guys, will make the semifinals. In a way, that hurts them. They could quite possibly have one or two tough matches. There are also a couple of dangerous floaters in that section in Gaston Gaudio and Tommy Robredo.

Andre Agassi has a tough road. He plays Robredo in the third round and one of those first three just to reach the semis.

In the other sections of the draw, you have the potential of an Andy Roddick vs. Marat Safin matchup in the round of 16. Those are two guys that could go all the way. You also have another dangerous floater in that section in Juan Ignacio Chela.

The bottom half of the draw is much tougher. The top half has No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, but he's not a clear favorite on clay because it's his worst surface. Gustavo Kuerten is coming back from an injury, so for a change, he's not the favorite. Kuerten will find it difficult to go the distance. Although he's helped by an easy draw. Carlos Moya is another contender in that section.

Younes El Aynaoui is a veteran with a solid clay-court game. He's one of the best conditioned out there. He reminds me of Andres Gomez when he won it in 1990. El Aynaoui is a talented clay-court player and the draw is set up for him to make a serious run.

The one guy who has a relatively easy draw is Pete Sampras. He doesn't have a tough clay-courter in the first couple of rounds. It's not terrible having Kuerten and Hewitt in his way, either. If he could somehow sneak through a couple of rounds, who knows. But he's obviously a long shot.

When you get to the second week you have to look at who has had the longest matches because they are so difficult on clay. The other thing that's always a factor is the weather. If it's hot the courts play fast and aggressive. That favors players like Roddick, Safin and Federer. It it gets overcast and rains some, it helps Ferrero, Kuerten and Robredo. Agassi would like the conditions to be warmer, so heat will help him.

Patrick McEnroe, the author of "Tennis for Dummies," is providing ESPN.com with analysis throughout the French Open.