A Brief Travel Guide – The French Open 2014 | Prepaid365

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13 May 2014
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One of the biggest events in the tennis calendar is only weeks away, and all of the world’s top stars are readying themselves for the clay courts of France.

Spaniard Rafael Nadal is preparing to defend his men’s singles title while Serena Williams will do likewise with her women’s title.

Both players currently top the WTA world rankings and it will surely take a monumental effort to stop Nadal this time round too as he bids for a record fifth consecutive Paris title.

Ahead of the French Open 2014 at Roland Garros, what do tennis fans need to know ahead of a trip to France?

Men’s Singles

Nadal has dominated the clay courts at Roland Garros, with only a failure in 2009 – a fourth round defeat to Robin Soderling – marring a perfect copybook of wins going all the way back to 2005.

This year will see Andy Murray attempt to go one better than his highest placed finish at the French Open – a semi-final berth in 2011.

Novak Djokovic will be another desperate to taste success in France, after falling just shy for the last three years – including being edged out in four sets by Nadal in the 2012 final.

Former world number one – and holder of 17 Grand Slam titles – Roger Federer is also expected to compete at Roland Garros, despite his wife giving birth to a second set of twins at the start of May.

Women’s Singles

The women’s singles competition is much more open, as six different stars have won the title since Justin Henin won the accolade three times on the trot between 2005 and 2007.

Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Francesca Schiavone, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ana Ivanovic have all triumphed alongside Williams since then.

Na has tasted victory in both the Australian and US Opens during her career and will enter as world number two, while world number three Agnieszka Radwanska will be looking to reach the semi-finals for the first time in France.

Beyond the tennis

The French capital has plenty of other attractions for those who are planning a visit at this time of year, with the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower all popular destinations.

The cathedral at Notre Dame and the zoos in Jardin des Plantes and the Bois de Vincennes are also worth visitng for those who are willing to travel around the capital.

There are also plenty of opportunities to shop and enjoy delicious French cuisine, meaning there is something for everyone in Paris.

Financing a trip

Travelling with a prepaid travel card can provide money to spend without the need to carry lots of travellers’ cheques or foreign currency.

With a prepaid card you can only spend the amount which is on it at any given time, making budget management possible, although it can be topped up if you so wish.

Additional security exists on these cards, while the exchange rate seen will be the one when the original transaction took place – providing protection should the exchange rate vary dramatically during a trip.

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