We know that the women’s singles can hold surprises at Porte d’Auteuil. In 2021, Barbora Krejcikova won the tournament against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a totally unexpected final. In 2017, the young Jelena Ostapenko crushed all her opponents before beating Simona Halep on the Philippe-Chatrier court on the last Saturday. Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, the big favorites for this Roland-Garros 2024, are therefore warned, even if they leave with a good head start.
Iga Swiatek, n°1 uncontested
Almost invincible on clay since 2020, the world No. 1, double title holder, will once again be the big favorite at Roland-Garros. A year after her third coronation at Porte d’Auteuil, against the Czech Karolina Muchova (6-2, 5-7, 6-4), the four-time Grand Slam winner still does not seem to have found a rival worthy of her .
His start to the season on ocher demonstrates this. Beaten in three sets by Elena Rybakina in the semi-final of the Stuttgart tournament, Iga Swiatek set the record straight by winning the title in Madrid after a sumptuous final against Aryna Sabalenka. The Pole had to erase three match points, but her ideal game for clay finally made the Belarusian give in. In Rome, she had less difficulty winning the title, with a straight victory in two sets (6-2, 6-3).
Aryna Sabalenka, the great rival
However, this should be its main rival during this 2024 edition of Roland-Garros. Titled at the Australian Open at the start of the season, then disrupted by the death of her ex-companion during the Miami tournament, the world No. 2 proved her return to the highest level by eliminating Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals. final of the Madrid tournament. Also a finalist in Rome, but beaten again, she is second favorite for the title.
Elena Rybakina, an ambush
The Kazakh started the clay court season strongly, with a series of eight consecutive victories. However, she was stopped in her tracks by a great Aryna Sabalenka, before having to throw in the towel in Rome, exhausted by an illness which prevented her from defending her 2023 title. This rest should, however, allow her to reach the Porte d’Auteuil in good shape, and to tickle the two queens of the circuit in the last square.
Coco Gauff, progressing on clay
Third in the world, the American is logically one of the candidates for final victory. After achieving the first major goal of her career, the title at the US Open, last September, the Floridian now wants to check the second box on her list: Roland-Garros. Her start to the season on clay, however, was not a success, since Coco Gauff lost to Marta Kostyuk, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek. Despite everything, it is on an upward slope, and should make its power speak for itself in Paris.
Collins, Pegula, Sakkari, Jabeur, the outsiders
Behind this quartet, which leaves only crumbs for its opponents, several players could create a surprise. For the final season of her career, Danielle Collins, who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis, is having a sumptuous year. Victorious in Miami, she confirmed on clay with a title in Charleston and a semi-final in Rome, only beaten by Aryna Sabalenka. Ons Jabeur was disappointed, with a quarter-final in Madrid as her best result, but could still do well. This is also the case for Jessica Pegula or Maria Sakkari, 5th and 7th in the world.
2024-05-24 16:08:00
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