Iga Swiatek was the strong favorite for Roland Garros for several editions of the tournament, but things look different this time around.
World number three Swiatek is without a title in the 2026 season, and enters the clay-court Grand Slam with an 18-9 win-loss record.
She is, however, a four-time champion at Roland Garros, with her honors list including three successive titles in Paris from 2022 to 2024.
But questions have been asked of Swiatek as the tournament approaches, and Sam Querrey believes three WTA players are more likely than her to lift the trophy this year.
Where do you think she will be ranked?
Sam Querrey thinks three players are more likely to win Roland Garros than Iga Swiatek
Naming his three favorites for the Roland Garros title, Querrey said on the Nothing Major Show: “I think I would go [Aryna] Sabalenka and Coco [Gauff], and then I go [Elina] Svitolina.
“I am a recency bias guy, I can’t help myself.
“This is the first good tournament Iga’s had all year.”
Referencing that run in Rome, Steve Johnson replied: “That sentence alone is not good because she made the semis.
“She is number one in the world [previously], Slam champion many times over, that’s not a good sentence to be said.
“That she made the semis and it’s a good tournament.
“For her, because she has set the bar so high.”
Querrey concluded: “I put Svitolina in third, but Iga is fourth by the smallest of margins.”
| Result | Year | Opponent | Score |
| Win | 2020 | Sofia Kenin | 6–4, 6–1 |
| Win | 2022 | Coco Gauff | 6–1, 6–3 |
| Win | 2023 | Karolina Muchova | 6–2, 5–7, 6–4 |
| Win | 2024 | Jasmine Paolini | 6–2, 6–1 |
Several WTA superstars to contend for wide-open Roland Garros title
It was indeed Svitolina who went all the way at the Italian Open, which has just concluded in Rome.
The Ukrainian defeated Swiatek in the semifinals, in between a quarterfinal win over Elena Rybakina and a final win over Gauff.
Svitolina is a Roland Garros dark horse for certain following that hugely impressive WTA 1000 title, while Swiatek remains among the favorites given her history in Paris.
Meanwhile, Gauff is the defending champion, while world number one Sabalenka lost last year’s final to the American.
All four WTA stars could definitely be in contention in the latter stages of the tournament, which returns to the calendar this month.
How would you now rate Aryna Sabalenka’s chances of winning the French Open on a scale of 1-10?
In fact, Roland Garros qualifying is already underway, but the leading names won’t get going until the main draw action starts later in May.
Adding to the intrigue, Rybakina, Mirra Andreeva, Jessica Pegula and Marta Kostyuk have all won clay-court titles in 2026.
Another winner will emerge in Strasbourg this week, with a hugely entertaining Roland Garros on the cards given the long list of potential champions.
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