Danger lurks in a wide open women’s singles draw at RG2020
© Corinne Dubreuil/FFTCause for celebration! For the second time in less than 30 days we have Grand Slam draws to drool over.
After the women’s singles draw was unveiled today in the newly-fashioned media centre on Court-Phillipe-Chatrier, we have the blueprint for a magical fortnight.
Here are some notable takeaways from what promises to be an eventful two weeks in Paris.
All eyes will be on Serena Williams in Paris as she continues her quest for a record-tying 24th major title, and if things go as planned for the vaunted American, she could have a familiar face across the net from her in the round of 16. That would be Victoria Azarenka, the resurgent force that spoiled Williams’ party at the US Open just a couple of weeks ago in the semi-finals.
There are potential pitfalls along the way for both players, as Azarenka, the No.10 seed, could square off against unseeded Venus Williams in the second round.
Serena, a three-time Roland-Garros champion, opens with American Kristie Ahn -- whom she also faced in the US Open first round -- and could take on Tsvetana Pironkova, who took her to three sets in a tense US Open quarter-final earlier this month, in the second round.
Azarenka and Serena have met 23 times in their rivalry, but only once at Roland Garros, where Williams prevailed in three sets in 2015.
© Corinne Dubreuil/FFTAll smiles and riding a 14-match winning streak is Simona Halep, the consensus top pick who enters Roland-Garros hot off claiming her first Rome title.
So what do the draw gods have planned for the 2018 champion? The top seed will open with Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo, the world No.78, who comes in with just one Roland-Garros main draw victory to her name.
Halep’s draw is tricky but not overly so. The first seeded player Halep could face is 19-year-old Amanda Anisimova, who ended the Romanian's title defence campaign in the quarter-finals in Paris last year.
If she slides through to week two, Halep could face off with last year’s runner-up Marketa Vondrousa in the round of 16.
Boasting a 28-9 lifetime record in Paris, Halep has played three of the last six Roland-Garros finals. It's hard not to like her chances against anyone she faces in her current form.
Dangerous floaters abound in this year’s women’s draw, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t start with a few youngsters that have already created waves on the Paris clay.
Iga Swiatek of Poland reached the second week on her Roland-Garros debut in 2019, but to win a round in 2020 the world No.52 will have to survive a heavily-anticipated first-round clash with world No.19 Vondrousova.
The top half of the draw also features American sensation and 2018 Roland-Garros girls’ singles champion Coco Gauff. The 16-year-old will have her work cut out for her if she intends to make her first main draw appearance in Paris a memorable one - she’ll tussle with No.9 seed Johanna Konta, a semi-finalist from last year, in the first round.
Canadian teen Leylah Fernandez, who lifted the girls' singles trophy in Paris 15 months ago, has made a seamless transition to the women's circuit and arrives to Roland-Garros ranked 100 in the world.
Wild card Eugenie Bouchard is coming off of a final showing in the WTA event in Istanbul and has landed in Halep's section of the draw.
Not only is No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova nursing a left thigh injury that forced her to retire from the Rome final, she’s also nestled in a section of the draw that is littered with talent.
After opening against qualifier, Pliskova could face 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko in the second round, and 2018 runner-up Sloane Stephens in third.
Pliskova, a 2017 semi-finalist herself at Roland Garros, will want to try and get through the first week unscathed. Her round of 16 opponent could be Petra Martic, the women who toppled her out of the third round in straight sets last year.
If you’re looking for clay-court pedigree in the lower half of the draw, look no further than 2016 champion Garbiñe Muguruza.
The Spaniard, who sports a tidy 27-6 lifetime record at Roland-Garros, will square off with Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek in a first-time meeting.
Things could get interesting for Muguruza quickly in Paris, as she’s slated to face blossoming American Jennifer Brady in the third round. Brady, who played one of the best matches of the US Open against Naomi Osaka in the semi-finals, isn’t a proven commodity on clay yet, but she did earn a victory over Muguruza in three sets this year in Dubai.
If the seeds hold, Muguruza, the No.11 seed would face Aryna Sabalenka in the round of 16 and No.4 seed Sofia Kenin in the quarter-finals. By no means is this an uncomplicated draw for Muguruza, but the route to Grand Slam glory is rarely without a few gut checks along the way.
ROLAND-GARROS
20 May - 9 June 2024
