3 minute read
How the leading contenders and top Australian hope shape up for the French Open starting on Sunday in Paris.
HOW THE LEADING WOMEN'S CONTENDERS AND BEST AUSSIE HOPE SHAPE UP FOR THE FRENCH OPEN:
IGA SWIATEK (POL)
Age: 22
Ranking: 1
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US28,876,512
Career titles: 21
Grand slam titles: 4 (French Open 2020, 2022, 2023; US Open 2022)
French Open win-loss record: 28-2
Best French Open result: champion 2020, 2022, 2023
The world No.1 and three-time champion again arrives in Paris as a hot favourite, riding a 12-match clay-court winning streak after romping to titles in Madrid and Rome, without even dropping a set in Italy last week.
ARYNA SABALENKA (BLR)
Age: 26
Ranking: 2
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US23,677,394
Career titles: 14
Grand slam titles: 2 (Australian Open 2023, 2024)
French Open win-loss record: 12-6
Best French Open result: semi-finalist 2023
The back-to-back Australian Open champion unquestionably shapes as Swiatek's biggest threat after pushing the Pole to a deciding third-set tiebreaker in the Madrid Open final, then making the title match in Rome too.
COCO GAUFF (USA)
Age: 20
Ranking: 3
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US13,863,007
Career titles: 7
Grand slam titles: 1 (US Open 2023)
French Open win-loss record: 15-4
Best French Open result: runner-up 2021
Contesting her first grand slam as a non-teenager, the American looks the future of women's tennis. Five years after bursting onto the scene with victory over five-times champion Venus Williams at Wimbledon, Gauff has won the US Open, made the final in Paris and semis in Melbourne.
ELENA RYBAKINA (KAZ)
Age: 24
Ranking: 4
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US13,734,000
Career titles: 8
Grand slam titles: 1 (Wimbledon 2022)
French Open win-loss record: 9-4
Best French Open result: quarter-finalist 2021
The powerhouse baseliner is also in great clay-court touch after winning the title in Stuttgart and falling to Sabalenka in the Rome semi-finals. Seeded to make the last four in Paris.
MARKETA VONDROUSOVA (CZE)
Age: 24
Ranking: 6
Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US9,925,533
Career titles: 2
Grand slam titles: 1 (Wimbledon 2023)
French Open win-loss record: 11-6
Best French Open result: runner-up 2019
Runner-up five years ago to Ash Barty, the Czech left-hander has since shown her all-court class with a march to Wimbledon glory in 2023 and quarter-final charge at the US Open. Also has clay form with a win over Sabalenka this year.
DANIELLE COLLINS (USA)
Age: 30
Ranking: 12
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US8,515,121
Career titles: 4
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 8-6
Best French Open result: quarter-finalist 2020
Also vanquished by Barty in a grand-slam final, in Melbourne two years ago, the American has enjoyed an inspired run since declaring this would be her last season on tour. Won in Miami, then on dirt in Charleston before it took Sabalenka to stop her in Madrid and Rome.
BEST OUTSIDER
MIRRA ANDREEVA (RUS)
Age: 17
Ranking: 38
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US1,328,338
Career titles: 0
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 2-1
Best French Open result: third round 2023
At 16, the 2023 former Australian Open junior finalist became the youngest player in almost two decades to reach the last 32 in Paris and backed that up with a fourth-round foray in Melbourne to confirm herself as the next big thing in women's tennis.
BEST AUSSIE HOPE
DARIA SAVILLE
Age: 30
Ranking: 85
Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US5,505,124
Career titles: 1
Grand slam titles: 0
French Open win-loss record: 6-7
Best French Open result: third round 2018, 2022
The former world No.1 junior is driven to make the Olympics and will need to emulate her third-round runs to have any hope of realising that dream. Seven clay-court wins this season have boosted her confidence too.
