Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Emma Raducanu: How are favourites looking for French Open? Who's missing out?
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Updated 23/05/2024 at 07:50 GMT
Who are the favourites for the 2024 French Open women's title and who are the players to look out for at the Grand Slam? The tournament starts on Sunday, May 26, live and on-demand on discovery+. Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff will be among the star names at the tournament, while Emma Raducanu and Karolina Muchova will be missing from the draw.
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The 2024 French Open will see Iga Swiatek bidding to become the first woman since Justine Henin in 2007 to win the tournament three years in a row.
Swiatek has beaten Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova in the last two finals and starts as the strong favourite at Roland-Garros, which starts on Sunday, May 26.
However, Aryna Sabalenka, Gauff, and Elena Rybakina will be among those also looking to get their hands on the trophy.
Naomi Osaka will be aiming for her first match win at the Grand Slam since 2021, while Emma Raducanu has opted not to play and focus on preparing for the grass season.
We preview the chances of the leading contenders and look at the other notable names playing in Paris as well as those who are missing out…
Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek will start her French Open title defence on a 12-match winning streak after completing the Madrid-Rome double.
In winning Rome she opened up a 3,557-point lead at the top of the world rankings.
Given her tremendous form, and with wins over Aryna Sabalenka in both the Madrid and Rome finals, Swiatek is clearly the one to beat again in Paris.
Aryna Sabalenka
At times Aryna Sabalenka’s clay season has looked like hard work, with five three-set matches in Madrid and then two more in Rome.
But were it not for the brilliance of Swiatek on the surface it likely would have been Sabalenka who would have won both titles and would be flying into the French Open full of confidence.
Eurosport expert Alex Corretja thinks the French Open is the “toughest place” for Sabalenka to win another major due to the presence of Swiatek, but says she has been “improving unbelievably” on clay.
"There's so much pressure off the return, so much pressure with the serve. If someone is ready to win another major, it's Aryna,” added Corretja.
Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff started out the clay season with hopes of ending a three-year wait for a title on the surface.
That has not come about after early exits in Stuttgart and Madrid, before a semi-final run in Rome.
But Corretja thinks Gauff, who made the French Open final in 2022, will be a player that Swiatek and Sabalenka will be hoping to avoid in the draw.
“If you are Iga or Aryna, I don't think you like to see her on the side of the draw that is in the semi-finals to you because, you know, it's such a tough match you need to play before the final," said Corretja.
Elena Rybakina
Before pulling out of the Italian Open due to illness, Elena Rybakina was having a fine clay swing, beating Swiatek on her to victory in Stuttgart and then pushing Sabalenka all the way in the semi-finals in Madrid.
She’s only made it past the third round once in five appearances at the French Open but with her impressive form this year should be a strong contender.
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Elena Rybakina, Madrid 2024
Image credit: Getty Images
Jessica Pegula
World No. 5 Jessica Pegula will miss the French Open, having not competed since the Billie Jean King Cup in early April due to injury.
"I'm just about back to practising normal (haven’t had any issues for weeks) but played it super safe with recovery and return to play," Pegula said on Instagram ahead of the Grand Slam.
"If I had another five to seven days I would have been there 100%. So I will definitely be back for a full grass season and the rest of the summer and grinding out the rest of the year."
Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka is set to return to the French Open.
The former world No. 1 last played the Grand Slam in 2022, when she was beaten in the first round by Amanda Anisimova. A year earlier she withdrew from the tournament after opting against speaking to the media.
She has made some positive progress on clay this year, especially in Rome where she recorded successive top-20 wins before losing in the last 16.
Osaka will be using her protected ranking to enter the Grand Slam after missing last season to give birth.
Angelique Kerber
Angelique Kerber is another new mother who will be back in Paris.
Like Osaka, Kerber has returned to the tour this year after missing 2023. She too showed encouraging signs at the Italian Open as she won three matches before losing to Swiatek in the last 16.
Kerber made the third round on her last visit to Paris in 2022.
Bianca Andreescu
Bianca Andreescu was set to return to the tour for the first time since August in Rabat, Morocco, but pulled out of the tournament.
The former US Open champion has said her “game is there” ahead of her comeback but she needs the “consistency of playing tournaments”.
Whether that starts at the French Open, where she would be using a protected ranking to enter the draw, remains uncertain.
Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu will miss the French Open to focus on preparing for the grass season.
The 21-year-old hasn’t played since saying she was “exhausted” after losing in the first round of the Madrid Open.
She was entered into French Open qualifying but pulled out 24 hours before the draw started.
Karolina Muchova
Last year’s runner-up Karolina Muchova will not be back at the French Open.
Muchova hasn’t played this year after undergoing wrist surgery in February.
Petra Kvitova
Two-time French Open semi-finalist Petra Kvitova will miss the Grand Slam this year as she is pregnant.
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