The American player flying ‘completely under the radar’ who is being tipped to do damage at the French Open by John Isner

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The Italian Open is rapidly moving towards its final stages, with many players using the tournament as preparation for the French Open.

Jannik Sinner has made a positive return to tennis at the Italian Open, having made his comeback from a three-month ban in Rome.

The ATP number one has avoided a shock thus far, but WTA star Iga Swiatek was among the players losing out early on.

Swiatek left Jim Courier shocked after she fell to Danielle Collins, although world number one Aryna Sabalenka remains on track for success at the WTA 1000 event.

She will reunite with Qinwen Zheng in the Italian Open quarter-finals, with American duo Coco Gauff and Peyton Stearns also reaching that stage.

Steve Johnson backs Peyton Stearns for strong French Open run

And it is Stearns who former players Steve Johnson and John Isner have been really impressed by as the French Open nears.

Discussing American women other than Gauff who they think can shine at Roland Garros, Johnson said on the Nothing Major podcast: “I am going to go off the beaten track here and say Peyton Stearns can make a bit of a run.

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“She has a couple of big wins, six in the third over [Madison] Keys and six in the third over [Naomi] Osaka here in Rome.

“Playing some of the best tennis of her career. She is going to be flying completely under the radar, unless she titles this week, because there are so many American women ahead of her.

“That is sometimes a good thing, you can go out there and be businessman like, take care of what is in front of you and go and win and she is playing great tennis and can be somebody who if she can get a favourable draw can make some noise, get a good run, and once she is in the second, third or fourth round, hopefully, that belief will be there to beat anyone and then the tournament will begin.”

John Isner says Peyton Stearns can ‘make a lot of noise’ at the French Open

As Johnson mentioned, Stearns has picked up some huge wins at the Italian Open, knocking out Osaka and Keys.

Both players are Grand Slam champions, with Stearns having also beaten Nuria Brancaccio and Anna Kalinskaya in Rome.

READ MORE: Former French Open quarter-finalist withdraws from the Italian Open after winning opening match

Hugely impressively, she came from behind to edge past Keys and Osaka, and now meets Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals.

The American remains the only unseeded player left in the women’s draw, with the 23-year-old currently ranked 42nd in the world.

Discussing her chances at the French Open later this month, Isner said: “She is playing well. Early on in the season she lost a lot of close matches.

“I remember she lost to Emma Navarro early on at the Australian Open, 7-5 in the third and she was up maybe 5-1 or 5-2 in the third that match.

“But winning two matches in a row, 7-6 in the third is going to do her confidence a lot of favours going forward. I like her game and she could certainly be someone who can make a lot of noise at the French Open.”