The 2026 French Open women’s tournament is arguably the most unpredictable edition in years.
Several stars who will be considered favourites in Paris have recorded fairly indifferent clay-court swings thus far.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka, who finished as the runner-up at the French Open last year, has failed to make it past the quarterfinals in both tune-up WTA 1000 events: Madrid and Rome.
How would you now rate Aryna Sabalenka’s chances of winning the French Open on a scale of 1-10?
Her 2025 Roland Garros conqueror, Coco Gauff, has also been up-and-down on the WTA Tour recently, with early exits in Stuttgart and Madrid before an improved run to the final in Rome.
Four-time champion Iga Swiatek has been dominant in Paris over the years, and former US Open winner Andy Roddick is picking her to go all the way again this year.
Andy Roddick says Iga Swiatek will win her fifth Roland Garros title
Predicting how the Roland Garros draw will unfold in an episode of ‘Served‘, Roddick said: “Iga is my champion. I have Coco vs Iga in the final, and I’m taking Iga.”
Swiatek reached the semifinals of the French Open last year, where she ultimately fell to Sabalenka.
This time around, the Pole has been handed a favourable draw, in which she can avoid both Sabalenka and Gauff until the final.
Is Coco Gauff going back-to-back at Roland Garros with this draw?
In Swiatek’s quarter are Elina Svitolina, Belinda Bencic and Marta Kostyuk.
Swiatek is in a semifinal collision course with world number two Elena Rybakina, though, with the Kazakh star looking to clinch a second consecutive major.
Iga Swiatek’s first opponent at the 2026 French Open
In her opening match at the 2026 French Open, Swiatek will take on Australian star Emerson Jones, whom she has never faced before on the WTA Tour.
Should she advance past Jones, she will then face either Czech star Sara Bejlek or a qualifier.
Swiatek’s last triumph at Roland Garros came during the 2024 season, when she secured a third consecutive title.
In the Open Era, only Steffi Graf and Chris Evert have won more French Open titles than Swiatek, who is tied with Justine Henin on four.
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