French Open tips: The women who might be able to end Iga Swiatek's Roland Garros dominance

Iga Swiatek is the undisputed favourite to win the French Open women's singles and for very good reason.

Swiatek has been in great form throughout the clay swing with a 14-1 record on the surface and back-to-back WTA 1000 titles in Madrid and Rome.

The world No 1 has won three of the last four French Opens.

Here we take a look at the women who have the best chance of disrupting Swiatek's remarkable run this season and claiming the French Open title.

 

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Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka has consistently countered those who claim that she is a hard court expert by insisting she has a lot of experience on clay and has won big titles on the surface.

Sabalenka is 11-3 this season on clay and lost the final to Swiatek in both Madrid and Rome so she will not lack motivation to want to best the Pole at last.

Her best effort at Roland Garros came in 2023 when she reached the semi-finals before being stunned by Czech star Karolina Muchova.

Sabalenka is among the best players in the world and as the world No 2 is also seemingly the woman most likely to break Swiatek's hold on the French Open.

 

Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff may not have grown up on clay but she has enjoyed some excellent runs in Paris.

She reached the final in 2022 before she was bested by Swiatek in the final.

Gauff has cited that one-sided drubbing at the hands of Swiatek as something of a turning point for her career.

She has a game that is well-suited to clay and could hold her own against most players on the surface.

 

Elena Rybakina

Elena Rybakina is the only player who has beaten Swiatek on clay this season, getting the better of her in Stuttgart's semi-finals.

She hasn't been at full fitness through the clay swing but holds an impressive 8-1 record on the surface in 2024 heading into the French Open.

Rybakina has won titles in Abu Dhabi, Stuttgart and Brisbane this season but hasn't tasted Grand Slam glory since her 2022 Wimbledon win.

She has done quite well in head-to-head matches against Swiatek but questions about her fitness remain.

 

Danielle Collins

The sentimental favourite for many heading into the French Open is Danielle Collins.

Collins has announced that she will give up the sport in a bid to manage a chronic health condition that has left her living with pain.

She has really set out to make the most of her final season and has won titles in Miami and Charleston.

Collins held a 12-2 record on clay this season before she entered the Strasbourg Open that precedes Roland Garros.

 

Jelena Ostapenko

Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko is one of the tournament's most dangerous dark horses.

Ostapenko knows what it takes to lift the trophy at Roland Garros and has shown glimpses of her best form this term.

She hasn't been on song during the clay swing but will be well-placed to threaten in Paris.

Ostapenko shares a section with home hope Caroline Garcia but has a fairly straightforward path into the second week of the Grand Slam.

 

Mirra Andreeva

The Russian teenager continues to surprise and delight tennis fans with her ability on the court.

Andreeva's mental fortitude in Grand Slam tennis might be the only thing that critics can point to as a weak point.

Andreeva missed out on a seeding and could meet former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka in the second round of the French Open but if she gets through that test she could be a danger to the more-fancied players.

She could also meet compatriot Daria Kasatkina in the third round but her section could be a whole lot tougher.

 

Ons Jabeur

Ons Jabeur has suffered phenomenal Grand Slam heartache in recent times.

Despite being a very good player on clay she has never been beyond the last eight at Roland Garros.

Jabeur is also struggling with long-term injuries which have hampered her in 2024.

There is little doubt that she will desperately want to do very well and perhaps go all the way in Paris.

 

Maria Sakkari

Maria Sakkari was the last woman to defeat Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros, ending her first title defence in 2021.

That 2021 tournament was a strange one played under difficult pandemic-altered conditions.

Sakkari has recently found a way to end her long wait to win big WTA Tour titles.

She will also be one of the players to watch and a potential French Open 2024 winner.