Christophe Ena / AP

Rafael Nadal is a big favorite to repeat as French Open champ, but many were surprised when he recently lost a match on clay — for only the second time in three years.

Henin also could have been trying to win a fourth French Open in a row. But she says she’s done for good, an out-of-nowhere announcement that leaves Williams as the only past Roland Garros champion in the women’s field.

“Am I surprised? Maybe a little bit,” Sharapova said about Henin’s decision. “But ... if I were 25 and I’ve achieved the things that she’s achieved in her career, I feel like there’s a lot more to life to explore.”

Henin’s absence gives more hope to someone such as Sharapova, trying to complete a career Grand Slam, or Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, attempting to claim a first major championship.

“It just completely opens up the whole draw,” said Chang, elected this year to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. “I’m actually a little bit surprised that she maybe didn’t wait ’til maybe after one more French, because it’s a surface that she loves so much and a tournament that means a lot to her.”

Nadal was hampered by foot blisters during his loss to Juan Carlos Ferrero at the Rome Masters two weeks ago, one of two defeats in his last 110 matches on clay.

That tournament had a record five withdrawals, and both semifinals ended with players quitting for health reasons, the first time that happened at any Masters Series event. One of the players who stopped was Roddick, and he later pulled out of the French Open, where he’s won a total of two matches since 2002.

Injuries always crop up in sports, of course, but Nadal has been leading a chorus of criticism aimed at the ATP’s schedule — and its chairman, Etienne de Villiers. The European clay-court circuit was more compressed than usual this season, and in 2009 the ATP is unveiling a redrawn calendar, with new guidelines about mandatory events.

“There is a problem, but it’s a problem that’s being fixed,” ATP spokesman Kris Dent said. “We’re making changes so players have a healthier schedule.”

Said McEnroe, part of ESPN2’s broadcast team for the French Open: “That’s the reality: The men’s and women’s tours have issues. ... Getting the women to play on a regular basis doesn’t seem to be happening.”

Both tours have their hands full with another delicate topic: betting on tennis and concerns about attempts to influence matches. Male and female players have talked about being approached to alter outcomes, and the ATP is still investigating suspicious betting patterns on an August 2007 match involving No. 4-ranked Nikolay Davydenko.

A report released this week by the sport’s governing bodies warned that while “professional tennis is neither institutionally nor systematically corrupt, it is potentially at a crossroads. There is sufficient cause for concern about the integrity of some players and those outside tennis who seek to corrupt them.”

More news

Clive Brunskill / Getty Images

Can Serena survive first week?

Opinion: Whether Williams can beat top foes on clay is one of the main French Open storylines.

Headlines

• Label

Djokovic, Federer could meet in French SF again

Djokovic bids for 4th consecutive Grand Slam title

Sharapova ready to take game by storm again

I lost focus after French Open title, says Li

Monfils pulls out of French Open with knee injury

Almagro beats Simon to reach Open de Nice final

Radwanska reaches final of Belgian Open

Schiavone reaches Strasbourg semifinal

Headlines

• Label

Djokovic, Federer could meet in French SF again

Djokovic bids for 4th consecutive Grand Slam title

Sharapova ready to take game by storm again

I lost focus after French Open title, says Li

Monfils pulls out of French Open with knee injury

Almagro beats Simon to reach Open de Nice final

Radwanska reaches final of Belgian Open

Schiavone reaches Strasbourg semifinal