Injuries and the absence of defending champion Steffi Graf leaves the race for the women's singles title at the French Open wide open.

	The French Open is the only Grand Slam that has eluded Martina Hingis.

While Graf has retired since winning her sixth title at Roland Garros, the injury bug has run amok for current tour players. Martina Hingis recently withdrew from the Italian Open with a foot problem. Lindsay Davenport withdrew from the Madrid Open last week with a back injury. Venus Williams has missed significant time with wrist tendinitis, and sister Serena Williams is out with a knee injury. nna Kournikova has a badly sprained ankle.

Following Friday's draw, here's a look at the top 10 contenders vying for the French Open title:

1. Martina Hingis, Switzerland
Hingis gets the edge as the favorite. She's overdue in Paris, and it could be her time to win the French Open, the only Grand Slam she hasn't won. She lost to Iva Majoli three years ago in the finals. In last year's finals, she totally lost her composure. If she doesn't win it this year, I might jump on the bandwagon that she has a psychological problem with the French.

2. Lindsay Davenport, U.S.
If Davenport had had a good spring on clay and was healthy, she probably would have gotten a slight edge over Hingis. But this injury is a concern. You need to be in really good shape to win the French, and pulling out of the Madrid Open could affect her fitness. It also means less time on clay, where the footing is very different for someone who grew up in Southern California. One area Davenport might be suspect is foot speed, especially on clay. She doesn't have the speed of the Williams sisters or even Hingis.

3. Monica Seles, U.S.
Davenport gets just a slight edge over Seles, who just won the Italian Open (and also won at the Bausch and Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Fla., last month). Seles, who has a new fitness coach, is rumored to have dropped 10 pounds. It sounds like she has really rededicated herself.

4. Conchita Martinez, Spain
Martinez played fabulously well at the German Open. She beat Hingis and then Amanda Coetzer, losing only three games in the final. Experience is a plus; she has reached the semifinals at the French, and usually gets through to the latter stages. Most people would have thought that Martinez, with one Grand Slam title at age 28, would have won it at the French, but it came at Wimbledon instead.

	GRAND SLAM WITH PAM
	Shriver Throughout the French Open, former WTA Tour pro Pam Shriver will provide ESPN.com with in-depth scouting reports and analysis. Shriver, a tennis analyst for ESPN, begins with a look at the top contenders for the women's singles title at Roland Garros.

5. Mary Pierce, France
She is dangerous and has been to the French Open finals before. The crowd, however, will hate Pierce, who was American when she pledged French citizenship and played Fed Cup.

6. Venus Williams, U.S.
Has played in only two tournaments since November, both on clay. Neither one went that well. Injuries are definitely a factor here.

7. Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Spain
As a three-time French Open winner (1989, '94, '98), Sanchez-Vicario has to be mentioned. Her last French victory came just two years ago, when she beat Seles. Although Sanchez-Vicario is a long shot, she is feisty and works hard. And since clay is her favorite surface, Sanchez-Vicario is definitely comfortable at Roland Garros.

8. Amelie Mauresmo, France
Reached the finals of the Italian Open and Australian Open. Mauresmo will have hometown pressure, but she'll be someone to watch.

9. Sandrine Testud, France
Testud gives Hingis fits every time they play, and she has had a lot of big wins in her career. Because she is French and plays well on emotion, she could be headed toward her best ever major. She has never reached a semifinal, however, but is a good player who is ranked just outside the top 10.

10. Amanda Coetzer, South Africa
She won Flanders Women's Open in Belgium last weekend and has played a lot of matches in the last month. She has had some big wins in Paris before, including a victory over Steffi Graf. I saw her in Baltimore the other night; she flew back to be with Brady Anderson for a few days. It actually worries me that she left so late for Paris. That's a very unique preparation for the French Open.