Wednesday 18 May 2016 11:28, UK
We have seen plenty of classic encounters at the French Open over the years and the 2016 edition will surely bring more.
Here are some of our favourites from the modern era, featuring the likes of Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Roger Federer.
In no particular order...
Jennifer Capriati beat Kim Clijsters 1-6 6-3 12-10, final, 2001
Clijsters is a household name these days but rewind 15 years and few knew of the young Belgian, who had battled her way through to the final.
She came up against Australian Open champion Capriati, enjoying a huge resurgence in her career, and the two produced a memorable encounter.
Clijsters showed she meant business by winning six straight games to take the first set, but errors crept into her game in the second, and it could be argued the quality of the tennis was not enough for this to go down as a true classic. However, the marathon decider elevates it to such status.
The duo traded early breaks before the tension rose and rose as the set progressed. Capriati twice broke Clijsters to leave herself serving for the title, only for the tenacious 18-year-old to break straight back.
Those watching wondered when it would all end. They soon found out - it was a case of third time lucky for the American, who broke again in game 21 and then finally served it out.
The agonising nature of her defeat may explain why Clijsters went on to lose another three Slam finals before finally breaking her duck in 2005.
Justine Henin beat Serena Williams 6-2 4-6 7-5, semi-final, 2003
This was a David v Goliath clash with the pint-sized Henin, at the time known as Henin-Hardenne, emerging victorious from a pulsating encounter. However, the match is best remembered for the bitter after-taste it left following a controversial incident in the final set.
Williams, who had won her previous 35 Grand Slam matches, led 4-2 30-0 when Henin held her hand up as her opponent served.
Williams, however, wasn't allowed another first serve - as tennis etiquette usually allows - and went on to lose the game.
It proved a pivotal moment, with Henin digging in for a memorable victory, leaving Williams accusing her of "lying and fabricating" over the incident.
A few days later, the Belgian lifted her first Grand Slam trophy and would go on to win six more.
Roger Federer beat Tommy Haas 6-7 5-7 6-4 6-0 6-2, fourth round, 2009
The day before had seen hot favourite Rafael Nadal crash out of the tournament, leaving Federer odds-on to claim the one title which had proved so elusive in his phenomenal career.
However, the pressure of being the favourite appeared to weigh heavily.
He must have thought something odd was going on when he lost the first set despite serving six love-service games.
Soon he was two sets down and when Haas moved to break point at 3-4 in the third, the dream appeared to be dying.
It was at that point Federer pulled off a majestic shot, crunching an off-forehand just inside the sideline. He lost just two more games.
The match - indeed, that wonderful shot - will go down as a moment which helped shape tennis history, because a few days later Federer became only the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam.
Fabio Fognini beat Gael Monfils 2-6 4-6 7-5 6-4 9-7, second round, 2010
Drive past the local courts and every now again you'll find people playing in the dark, desperate to finish a deciding set. That's not supposed to happen at a Grand Slam, but someone forgot to tell French Open officials in 2010 when Fognini and Monfils were still slugging it out at 9.56pm.
It had already been a thrilling contest as home favourite Monfils, ever the entertainer, blew a two-set lead against his Italian foe, who simply refused to go away.
At 4-4 in the final set, Fognini felt it was so dark, he argued for five minutes for the match to be stopped - and was docked a point for his protestations.
With the typically raucous Philippe Chatrier crowd creating a hot atmosphere in the ever-cooling conditions, the pair were actually made to play two more games - Monfils saving three match points - before it was decided enough was enough.
Most present agreed professional tennis had never before been played in such conditions. Sadly for Monfils, he was beaten on his return to the court the following day. Few will forget what had gone before though.
Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-7 9-7, semi-final, 2013
In what was Nadal's first Grand Slam tournament since a seven-month injury absence, the King of Clay edged a dramatic see-saw encounter. The Spaniard was the front-runner but failed to serve out in the fourth set before finding himself 4-2 down in the decider.
However, his fighting spirit was firmly on display as he levelled and, in temperatures which topped 30C, it was Djokovic who cracked first.
The cracks were mental ones it appeared, the Serb complaining to the umpire about the slippery nature of the dry courts which, come the end of the match, had not been watered for almost 90 minutes.
After his protestations fell on deaf ears, Nadal duly went in for the kill to reach an eighth Roland Garros final. As many expected, David Ferrer put up less resistance two days later. This was the real final.
