Iga Swiatek of Poland is the top seed and overwhelming favorite at the 2024 French Open, which starts Sunday, live on NBC Sports and Peacock. Swiatek, the reigning champion at Roland Garros in 2022, 2023 and is looking to become the fourth and youngest woman in the professional era (since 1968) to win four French Open singles titles. The others were Chris Evert (seven titles), Steffi Graf (six) and Justine Henin (four). Swiatek can also become the first woman to win a fifth Grand Slam singles title since Maria Sharapova won her last at the 2014 French Open.
Swiatek has been on a roll this spring, capturing two of the biggest clay-court titles: Madrid and Rome. In the second round of the tournament, she could face Naomi Osaka, who is also a four-time Grand Slam champion. Osaka returned in January from a July 2023 childbirth break. No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka was runner-up in both Madrid and Rome and would face Swiatek in the June 8 final if seeds hold true. U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff is the No. 3 seed and could play Swiatek in a potential semifinals matchup. Gauff was runner-up at Roland Garros last year but has shown strong form this season with her win at Indian Wells earlier this month.
The French Open is also significant because it marks the end of Paris’ qualification window for the Paris Olympics, where American players like Gauff and Jessica Pegula have already secured their spots alongside other countries’ representatives like Emma Raducanu of Romania and Elina Svitolina of Ukraine among others are vying for spots as well.
In conclusion, Iga Swiatek will be facing tough competition at the French Open Women’s Singles Draw as she looks to become only one of four women to have won four singles titles since Steffi Graf retired in 1999.
