French Open Women’s Draw: Favorite Swiatek Could Face Osaka, Collins, Gauff; Sabalenka-Rybakina SF
Iga Swiatek won’t have it easy if she wants to become the first woman to three-peat at the French Open since Justine Henin in 2007. The world No. 1 was handed a semi-treacherous road to what would be a fourth French Open title with Naomi Osaka, Barbora Krejcikova and Danielle Collins all looming before the semifinals.
Her main rivals, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, were placed on a weaker bottom half along with Maria Sakkari, Madison Keys and Qinwen Zheng.
Despite the tough draw, Swiatek remains the heavy favorite to win the title.
Top seeds are: 1 Iga Swiatek, 2 Aryna Sabalenka, 3 Coco Gauff, 4 Elena Rybakina, 5 Marketa Vondrousova, 6 Maria Sakkari, 7 Qinwen Zheng, 8 Ons Jabeur, 9 Jelena Ostapenko, 10 Daria Kasatkina, 11 Danielle Collins, 12 Jasmine Paolini, 13 Beatriz Haddad Maia, 14 Madison Keys, 15 Elina Svitolina and 16 Ekaterina Alexandrova.
IGA SWIATEK QUARTER
Seeds: 1 Swiatek, 5 Vondrousova, 11 Collins, 16 Alexandrova, 18 Kostyuk, 24 Krejcikova, 29 Kudermetova, 32 Siniakova
Floaters: Vekic, Potapova, Bouzkova, Trevisan, Bronzetti, Shnaider, Dolehide, Townsend, Osaka
Notable openers: Iga Swiatek-Q/LL, Naomi Osaka-Lucia Bronzetti, Marie Bouzkova-Veronika Kudermetova, Barbora Krejcikova-Viktorija Golubic, Anastasia Potapova-Kamilla Rakhimova, Donna Vekic-Lesia Tsurenko, Rebeka Masarova-Marketa Vondrousova, Danielle Collins-Caroline Dolehide
Projected 3R matches: 1 Swiatek – 29 Kudermetova, 24 Krejcikova – 16 Alexandrova, 11 Collins – 18 Kostyuk, 32 Siniakova – 5 Vondrousova
Notes: Swiatek will could have her work cut out for her with 4-time Slam winner Naomi Osaka who had a nice clay lead-up. Later, the big test and perhaps her biggest of the event could come from Collins who has won 19 of her last 21. Collins will have to deal with Marta Kostyuk and then former finalist Marketa Vondrousova. But a Swiatek-Collins quarter would be huge. Former winner Krejicikova is there along with Donna Vekic.
COCO GAUFF QUARTER
Seeds: 3 Gauff, 8 Jabeur, 9 Ostapenko, 13 Haddad Maia, 17 Samsonova, 21 Garcia, 30 Yastremska, 31 Fernandez
Floaters: Linette, Kalinina, Cocciaretto, Tomljanovic, Bucsa, Tauson, Wang, Kenin, Cristian, Anisimova, Osorio
Notable openers: Cori Gauff-Q/LL, Liudmila Samsonova-Magda Linette, Elisabetta Cocciaretto-Beatriz Haddad Maia, Jelena Ostapenko-Jaqueline Cristian, Laura Siegemund-Sofia Kenin
Projected 3R matches: 3 Gauff – 30 Yastremska, 17 Samsonova – 13 Haddad Maia, 9 Ostapenko – 21 Garcia, 31 Fernandez – 8 Jabeur
Notes: It looks like a very favorable draw for Coco Gauff who has only lost to former winners the last three years at Roland Garros. The 20-year-old will likely only have to deal with Dayana Yastremska, then maybe 2023 semifinalist Beatriz Haddad Maia with possibly French favorite Caroline Garcia in the quarters. Former champion Jelena Ostapenko could and likely will make some noise and one-time finalist Sofia Kenin has seen an improvement in form.
ELENA RYBAKINA QUARTER
Seeds: 4 Rybakina, 7 Zheng, 12 Paolini, 15 Svitolina, 20 Pavlyuchenkova, 23 Kalinskaya, 25 Mertens, 28 Cirstea
Floaters: Pliskova, Martic, Blinkova, Andreescu, Bogdan, Burel, Avanesyan, Cornet, Parry, Day, Sorribes Tormo, Dodin, Mladenovic, Kerber
Notable openers: Qinwen Zheng-Alize Cornet, Lin Zhu-Elina Avanesyan, Anna Blinkova-Sorana Cirstea, Elina Svitolina-Karolina Pliskova, Q/LL-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Greet Minnen-Elena Rybakina
Projected 3R matches: 7 Zheng – 28 Cirstea, 23 Kalinskaya – 12 Paolini, 15 Svitolina – 20 Pavlyuchenkova, 25 Mertens – 4 Rybakina
Notes: Rybakina’s been all-or-nothing this year, either sick/injured or a rock star. It remains to be seen what she’ll be in Paris where she couldn’t finish a year ago. This go round she’ll like her draw very little in the way of a serious threat. Former No. 1 Angelique Kerber could play her tough, Elina Svitolina can be dangerous and then in the quarters Qinwen Zheng is a possibility, but’s she’s been up-and-down. If Rybakina falls, look for a surprise semifinalist here. Maybe Jasmine Paolini.
ARYNA SABALENKA QUARTER
Seeds: 2 Sabalenka, 6 Sakkari, 10 Kasatkina, 14 Keys, 19 Azarenka, 22 Navarro, 26 Boulter, 27 Noskova
Floaters: Sherif, Stephens, Badosa, Gracheva, Stearns, Podoroska, Schmiedlova, Putintseva
Notable openers: Maria Sakkari-Varvara Gracheva, Victoria Azarenka-Nadia Podoroska, Magdalena Frech-Daria Kasatkina, Katie Boulter-Paula Badosa, Yulia Putintseva-Sloane Stephens
Projected 3R matches: 6 Sakkari – 27 Noskova, 19 Azarenka – 10 Kasatkina, 14 Keys – 22 Navarro, 26 Boulter – 2 Sabalenka
Notes: Not the easiest of paths for Sabalenka who had a heap of chances to make the final last year. The Belarussian could be in for a test in the third round with Sloane Stephens, Yulia Putintseva or her good friend Paula Badosa. Americans Madison Keys or Emma Navarro might await in the fourth before Maria Sakkari in the quarters. Sabalenka, though, based on form will be tough to beat.
The projected quarterfinals:
1 Swiatek – 5 Vondrousova
3 Gauff – 8 Jabeur
7 Zheng – 4 Rybakina
6 Sakkari – 2 Sabalenka
The projected R16 looks like:
1 Swiatek – 16 Alexandrova
11 Collins – 5 Vondrousova
3 Gauff – 13 Haddad Maia
9 Ostapenko – 8 Jabeur
7 Zheng – 12 Paolini
15 Svitolina – 4 Rybakina
6 Sakkari – 10 Kasatkina
14 Keys – 2 Sabalenka
Former champions: Swiatek(3), Krejcikova, Ostapenko
Former finalists: Vondrousova, Gauff, Kenin, Pavlyuchenkova, Stephens
Last year, (1) Iga Swiatek defeated Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
LAST 10 ROLAND GARROS CHAMPIONS/FINALS
2023 Iga Swiatek d Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
2022 Iga Swiatek d Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-3
2021 Barbora Krejcikova d Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1,, 2-6 6-4
2020 Iga Swiatek d Sofia Kenin 6-4, 6-1
2019 Ashleigh Barty d Marketa Vondrousova 6-1, 6-3
2018 Simona Halep d Sloane Stephens 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
2017 Jelena Ostapenko d Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
2016 Garbine Muguruza d Serena Williams 7-5, 6-4
2015 Serena Williams d Lucie Safarova 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-2
2014 Maria Sharapova d Simona Halep 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4
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