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3d ago

French Open Begins with Wide-Open Women's Draw Amid Shifting Power Dynamics

As Iga Swiatek struggles to regain form, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Jasmine Paolini emerge as contenders for the clay-court crown.

Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 10, 2025 Poland's Iga Swiatek in action during her round of 32 match against Danielle Collins of the U.S. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel/File Photo
Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 17, 2025 Coco Gauff of the U.S. in action during her final match against Italy's Jasmine Paolini REUTERS/Alberto Lingria/File Photo
Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 17, 2025 Italy's Jasmine Paolini celebrates winning her final match against Coco Gauff of the U.S. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel
Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 12, 2025 Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko reacts during her round of 16 match against Italy's Jasmine Paolini REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel

Overview

  • Aryna Sabalenka enters Roland Garros as the in-form world No. 1 after claiming her third Madrid Open title and leading the WTA Tour in wins this season.
  • Coco Gauff, now world No. 2, has reached consecutive clay-court finals in Madrid and Rome but continues to grapple with double-fault issues, committing 42 in the Italian Open alone.
  • Jasmine Paolini, the fourth seed, secured her first WTA 1000 title at the Italian Open, defeating Gauff in the final to cap her breakout clay season.
  • Iga Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, arrives as the fifth seed after a turbulent year marked by a doping suspension, coaching changes, and her lowest ranking since 2021.
  • Experts emphasize mental resilience as the key factor in this year's unpredictable draw, with no clear favorite to claim the women's title.