The stage is set for the French Open 2025, which is set to get underway from Sunday, May 25. The qualifying rounds are currently going on, with players fighting for a chance to compete in one of the most prestigious tournaments in the sport.
Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek will be going for her historic fourth successive title, a feat no woman has accomplished in the Open Era. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka leads the field along with the rest of her top 10 cohorts, including Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Zheng Qinwen and Mirra Andreeva, among others.
The women’s singles draw was revealed on Thursday, May 22. So without any further ado, here’s a look at how the women’s draw could pan out over the next fortnight:
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First Quarter: Aryna Sabalenka eyeing her maiden French Open crown
Seeded players: (1) Aryna Sabalenka, (8) Zheng Qinwen, (11) Diana Shnaider, (16) Amanda Anisimova, (19) Liudmila Samsonova, (22) Clara Tauson, (27) Leylah Fernandez and (28) Peyton Stearns
Expected quarterfinal: Aryna Sabalenka vs Zheng Qinwen
Dark horse: Danielle Collins
Aryna Sabalenka came quite close to capturing her third straight Australian Open title but fell to Madison Keys in the final. A forgettable Middle East swing was followed by an incredible resurgence. She lost to Mirra Andreeva in the Indian Wells final but made up for it with a title in Miami.
Sabalenka kicked off her time on clay with a runner-up finish in Stuttgart and followed it up with her third title in Madrid a couple of weeks later. Her streak of four consecutive finals came to an end with a loss to Zheng Qinwen in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open.
Sabalenka will begin her campaign in Paris this year against Kamila Rakhimova. She has reached the final of the last two Majors and has made at least the last eight of every Major since the US Open 2022. She could bump into Danielle Collins in the third round but has never lost to the American in seven meetings.
However, the top seed could run into Amanda Anisimova in the fourth round, who has a winning record against her. A win over her nemesis could set up a rematch with the latest player to beat her, Zheng.
Zheng will face former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in her opener, followed by a potential date with teen star Alexandra Eala in the second round. Diana Shnaider could await her in the fourth round before running into Sabalenka.
Zheng beat Sabalenka for the first time after losing their previous six matches. The last time she was on these courts, she won the gold medal at the Olympics last year. The conditions here suit her game and she could shock the World No. 1 once again, though the latter will be keen to restore the equilibrium of their rivalry with a win.
Quarterfinal prediction: Aryna Sabalenka def. Zheng Qinwen
Second Quarter: Jasmine Paolini seeking her maiden Major title in Paris
Seeded players: (4) Jasmine Paolini, (5) Iga Swiatek, (12) Elena Rybakina, (13) Elina Svitolina, (18) Donna Vekic, (21) Jelena Ostapenko, (26) Marta Kostyuk and (29) Linda Noskova
Expected quarterfinal: Jasmine Paolini vs Iga Swiatek
Dark horse: Emma Raducanu
Jasmine Paolini has arrived at the French Open on a high after winning the singles and doubles titles at the Italian Open. She endured double disappointment in Paris last year after losing the finals across both disciplines. However, this could be her time to shine after her incredible run in Rome, becoming the first woman since Monica Seles in 1990 to sweep both titles in Italy.
Paolini will take on Yuan Yue in the first round. There aren't any big threats lined up her way until the fourth round, where a potential showdown with the in-form Elina Svitolina could happen.
Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek is also in the section. This is the first time since the Australian Open 2022 that she isn't anchoring her own quarter at a Major. She slipped to No. 5 after failing to defend her Italian Open title and hasn't even advanced to a final since her French Open triumph last year.
Semifinal appearances at the Australian Open and at three WTA 1000 tournaments are her best results this year. Regardless of what has happened until now, Swiatek is a different beast in Paris. She will begin her title defense against Rebecca Sramkova, with a potential second-round match-up against Emma Raducanu on the horizon.
Swiatek's biggest test could come in the fourth round, where she could meet Elena Rybakina. However, the latter has to deal with Belinda Bencic in the first round and given her inconsistency in recent weeks, she could be in danger of losing early. Both are at a crossroads in their careers for different reasons but the Pole will be favored to win if they lock horns in the fourth round.
However, Swiatek's biggest nemesis, Jelena Ostapenko and her 6-0 record against her, could also await her in the fourth round. She's in the same part of the draw as Rybakina but the Latvian hasn't made the fourth round since winning the title here in 2017, so the defending champion can rest easy.
That could potentially set-up a rematch of last year's final with Paolini in the quarterfinals for Swiatek. While the Italian has beaten quite a few big names, she will be the underdog against the reigning champion.
Quarterfinal prediction: Iga Swiatek def. Jasmine Paolini
Third Quarter: Jessica Pegula looking to regroup with a deep run at the French Open
Seeded players: (3) Jessica Pegula, (6) Mirra Andreeva, (10) Paula Badosa, (14) Karolina Muchova, (17) Daria Kasatkina, (24) Elise Mertens, (25) Magdalena Frech and (32) Yulia Putintseva
Expected quarterfinal: Jessica Pegula vs Mirra Andreeva
Dark horse: Naomi Osaka
Jessica Pegula won the Charleston Open to begin her clay swing on a high. However, she has underperformed in all of her subsequent tournaments since then. She will be looking to turn things around in Paris, where she made the last eight in 2022. She will take on Anca Todoni in the first round.
Pegula could run into either Marketa Vondrousova or Ons Jabeur in the third round. Both of them have the potential to beat the American at their best. Karolina Muchova, a finalist here two years ago, could be her fourth round opponent. The Czech hasn't played much in recent weeks due to her health issues. However, she remains a dangerous player to deal with.
Mirra Andreeva made her maiden Major semifinal here a year ago. Based on her draw, she could do the same again. She will begin her quest for a title in Paris against Cristina Bucsa. Yulia Putintseva could be her possible third-round opponent, though she's far from her best at the moment.
One of the biggest first-round matches of the tournament will be the battle between Paula Badosa and Naomi Osaka. The latter held a match point against Swiatek in the second round last year but lost the match. She has improved a lot on clay this year and won a Challenger title on the surface.
Osaka and Andreeva could lock horns in the fourth round, though the teenager will be favored to win that encounter if it happens. Her prospective quarterfinal opponents aren't in top form, so the Russian youngster has a good shot at beating anyone she faces at this stage.
Predicted quarterfinal: Mirra Andreeva def. Ons Jabeur
Fourth Quarter: Coco Gauff bidding to capture the singles title after hoisting the doubles trophy last year
Seeded players: (2) Coco Gauff, (7) Madison Keys, (9) Emma Navarro, (15) Barbora Krejcikova, (20) Ekaterina Alexandrova, (23) Beatriz Haddad Maia, (30) Anna Kalinskaya and (31) Sofia Kenin
Expected quarterfinal: Coco Gauff vs Madison Keys
Dark horse: Hailey Baptiste
Coco Gauff's results in the lead-up to the clay swing were quite lukewarm by her standards. Her first tournament on the red dirt was in Stuttgart and she was sent packing by Paolini in the quarterfinals. She stepped up her game and reached her first individual final of the season in Madrid. She also beat Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 en route to the final but came up short against Sabalenka in the end.
Gauff continued her good run of form and reached the final of the Italian Open as well. However, a title remained out of her reach as she lost to Paolini for the second time this year. The young American has been quite consistent in Paris. She was the runner-up in singles in 2022, lost in the quarterfinals a year later and made the semifinals last year. She lost to Swiatek on each occasion.
Gauff will face Olivia Gadecki in the first round. There are no big threats for her to deal with until the fourth round, where former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova could be her opponent. However, the Czech returned earlier this week after a prolonged injury hiatus and could bow out early.
Gauff has a high chance of meeting either of her two compatriots, Keys or Emma Navarro, in the quarterfinals. The former will aim to back up her Australian Open run, while the latter will be on the hunt for her second Major semifinal. The 21-year-old will be favored to beat them both based on their current form.
Quarterfinal prediction: Coco Gauff def. Emma Navarro
French Open 2025: Semifinal and final predictions
Semifinals
Iga Swiatek def. Aryna Sabalenka
Coco Gauff def. Mirra Andreeva
Final
Coco Gauff def. Iga Swiatek
