The specially built claycourt at the Plaza de Toros de los Califas bull ring will give the Spaniards a distinct advantage with world number five David Ferrer, who like Nadal has never lost a Davis Cup rubber on the red dirt, a formidable No.2. ❋ Reuters (2011)
Having a disappointing season hampered by a right hip strain that forced her to retire in the opening match at Amelia Island, where she was defending champion; her claycourt results afterwards were middling - third-round losses at Charleston and ❋ Unknown (2004)
Cup in Charleston last month; won another claycourt event in ❋ Unknown (2004)
Continuing the breakthrough she had in 2003; won her second career WTA Tour title at Memphis in February; reached claycourt semifinals at Warsaw and Rome and quarterfinals at Amelia Island and Charleston; secured a stunning victory over then-No. ❋ Unknown (2004)
Despite playing a limited schedule due to lingering wrist problems, has posted some positive results - reaching the quarterfinals or better in four of six events; advanced to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and Monte Carlo and was runner-up at the Italia Masters - his first major claycourt final; plays well at the Grand Slam events; also reached the final at Wimbledon in 2002 and the semifinals at the 2003 U.S. ❋ Unknown (2004)
Broke through at Olympics, winning gold in singles and doubles with No. 14 Fernando Gonzalez; had lost in first round of previous two hardcourt events, at Toronto and Cincinnati; won one ATP title this season, the claycourt Generali Open; is ❋ Unknown (2004)
Has reached the final in five of 11 tournaments this season; captured Chennai in January and claycourt crowns in Acapulco and the Italia Masters; was a quarterfinalist two weeks ago at the ❋ Unknown (2004)
The former world junior champion is having an excellent season; was runner-up at the claycourt event in Warsaw and it took ❋ Unknown (2004)
Salvaged his claycourt season with a semifinal at the Hamburg ❋ Unknown (2004)
The diminutive Argentine is considered by some to be the finest claycourt player in the world; had his 31-match claycourt winning streak snapped with a loss to Roger Federer in the final of the Hamburg Masters two weeks ago; it was his first loss on the dirt since a semifinal defeat to Martin Verkerk at last year's French Open; won two claycourt events this season in ❋ Unknown (2004)
Chilean had extremely successful Olympics, winning bronze medal in singles and gold in doubles with Massu; is 36-16 this year, winning claycourt titles at BellSouth Open and ATP World Team ❋ Unknown (2004)
Masters Series event in Hamburg were his best results of the European claycourt season before losing in the fourth round of the French Open; reached the fourth round at Wimbledon last year for his best performance at the All-England Club; last week became the first player since John ❋ Unknown (2002)
Open to win first claycourt title in May; after winning French Open, moved up to career-high No. 2 in world rankings behind Venus; has played Wimbledon three times previously, reaching the third round in 1998, the semifinals in 2000 and the quarterfinals in 2001; first career Grand Slam was 1999 ❋ Unknown (2002)
Has not had a good European claycourt campaign before the French Open since 1996 but heads into Roland ❋ Unknown (2002)
No. 1-ranked player in the history of the WTA Tour and first African-American male or female No. 1 on February 25; after appearing in consecutive semifinals at Dubai and Miami, claimed her first claycourt crown of the season at ❋ Unknown (2002)
Grand Slam crown; reached consecutive finals at Scottsdale and Miami, both times falling to Serena Williams; was involved in controversial removal from Federation Cup squad in March, getting dismissed from team after fighting over rules with captain Billie Jean King; reached the semifinals at the German and Italian Opens during the European claycourt season. ❋ Unknown (2002)
Had her best performance of the European claycourt season at Hamburg, where she reached the quarterfinals in the singles and won the doubles title with Martina Hingis; lost in the second round at ❋ Unknown (2002)
Open last year in his second appearance in New York; captured claycourt events at Estoril Open in Portugal, ❋ Unknown (2001)
Played in his second Grand Slam final at the French Open in June; six of his 15 titles have come on hardcourts; his lone tournament victory of the year was at the claycourt event at Amsterdam, but he won three hardcourt titles last year; has lost in the first round four times in nine appearances at the U.S. ❋ Unknown (2001)
