Candy Reid answers your questions

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(CNN) -- With the ongoing 2007 French Open, all eyes are on Paris's red clay courts to see who will take the title.

CNN's Candy Reid answers your questions about this year's French Open at Roland Garros.

I hope you are all enjoying the French Open. It's been a great tournament so far, although the women's draw hasn't been the same without Kim Clijsters who recently retired. Talk about absentees.....

A few of you have asked about the difference between clay courts and grass courts.

Clay courts generate more rallies because the ball sits up more, whereas on grass even a heavy topspin shot may stay low. For this reason you're not going to see players attempt to serve and volley too much on the dirt but it's a good tactic on grass. Also, good clay courters are very solid from the baseline; know how to slide; and have very strong legs. Good grass courters need to be able to bend well; have a strong serve and return; and take advantage when a break point arises!

Q. Hi Candy: You might know this?has Monica Seles officially retired? Do you know why she didn't play in the French Open this year?
Andrea McKay

A. Monica's name has come up a lot this week because if Justine Henin wins the tournament she'll become the first woman to win three successive crowns at Roland Garros since Seles managed back in 1992. As for Seles herself, well as far as I know she hasn't officially retired but it seems very unlikely she'd make a return at this stage. She hasn't played since June 2003 when she hurt her foot.

Q. Hi Candy, what was Martina Hingis' reason for withdrawing from the tournament? Best wishes
Peter

A. Hingis had to pull out of the French because of a hip injury, Peter. Her fiancé Radek Stepanek played though and knocked out Fernando Gonzalez in the first round.

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