24/05/2026
WHO WILL WIN THE FRENCH OPEN?
No. It is not going to be Alexandra Eala.
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SECTION 1 - SABALENKA
Aryna Sabalenka is NOT the favorite to win the French Open. She has had to often work hard to get wins on the surface throughout her career, and this year is no different, with win-loss of 4-2 in only two events. She could face stern opposition in every round. The other top seed in this section is Naomi Osaka, who herself has not had such a great season since her event retirement at the Australian Open. Her clay season also stands at 4-2. Unpopular opinion: this is a wide open section, and it would surprise me if the two top seeds get to round 4.
Players to watch: Sonmez, Navarro
SECTION 2 - PEGULA
Jessica Pegula is the TOP DOG in the uppermost quarter of the draw, with 9-2 win-loss and a title run at Charleston. Victoria Mboko recently had a run to the finals in Strasbourg, but it was more telling of the circumstance rather than form on clay. I do not see any issues here for the top seeds.
Player to watch:
SECTION 3 - GAUFF
Coco Gauff is the player to beat in the second quarter of the draw with 8-3 win-loss run prior to French Open. Her three losses came in very close matches against Muchova, Noskova and Svitolina. Ekaterina Alexandrova, primarily a hardcourt player, has not had a good clay swing. I see Potapova in Gauff's way, and an early exit for Alexandrova.
Players to watch:
Potapova, Osorio
SECTION 4 - ANISIMOVA
Amanda Anisimova, for all her firepower, has not had a compelling season. She has not played a single clay match, and her 2026 run stands at 11-6 - some players have played more matches on clay. Linda Noskova, on the other hand, is on the rise and poised to take her place in the top 10 for her all-surface game. Her win-loss on clay stands at 6-3.
Players to watch: Mertens, Li
SECTION 5 - SVITOLINA
Elina Svitolina just won Rome Premier against some of the best clay players this season. Belinda Bencic, once touted to lead women's tennis is getting "old" and struggling. I see a straightforward way to the round of 16 for Svitolina, but I can't say the same for Bencic (good thing she is in a weak part of the section).
Player to watch: McNally
SECTION 6 - SWIATEK
Iga Swiatek has lost her aura on clay. It seems the field has figured out her tactics despite improvements on her serve. Her win-loss stands at an underwhelming 6-3, pretty average for a player once predicted to dominate clay for years. Marta Kostyuk is UNDEFEATED on clay this season, winning titles in Rouen and Madrid, against top and in-form players.
Players to watch: Fernandez, Ostapenko
SECTION 7 - ANDREEVA
Prodigy Mirra Andreeva has yet to prove herself at the Majors, and her time may have come. Her win-loss stands at 15-3 on clay, with a title run at Linz. The three players who beat her were Gauff, Kostyuk and Rybakina. Karolina Muchova produced a mixed bag of results, playing only one match since her run to the final in Stuttgart. She may be injured again.
Players to watch: Bouzkova, Ruse
SECTION 8 - RYBAKINA
Elena Rybakina is very much at the top of the women's game at the moment, with a title run in Stuttgart and losses to in-form players Potapova and Svitolina on clay. Jasmine Paolini had such dismal showing this year on clay or any other surace & I expect her to lose to Sierra in round 2, if not to Yastremska in round 1.
Players to watch: Marcinko, Cirstea, Baptiste
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PREDICTIONS:
ROUND 4 -
Sabalenka V Navarro
Mboko V Pegula
Potapova V Kalinskaya
Noskova V Li
Svitolina V Bencic
Kostyuk V Swiatek
Andreeva V Muchova
Cirstea V Rybakina
QUARTERFINALS -
Sabalenka V Pegula
Potapova V Noskova
Svitolina V Kostyuk
Andreeva V Rybakina
SEMIFINALS -
Pegula V Potapova
Kostyuk V Andreeva
FINAL -
Potapova V Andreeva
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DARK HORSE: MARTA KOSTYUK, ANASTASIA POTAPOVA
