Former ATP Doubles star names Aryna Sabalenka as “form favorite” over Iga Swiatek ahead of the French Open
Aryna Sabalenka has not won any clay title apart from the Madrid Open, which is due to the dominance of Iga Swiatek on the surface.
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Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/Game, Set & Talk, US Open Tennis)
Aryna Sabalenka has been named a furn favorite to claim the French Open title following her Madrid Open triumph. The World No.2 has been on great form this season, while her rival, Iga Swiatek, has struggled on the court. Even though the French Open will be on clay, former ATP Doubles star Colin Fleming believes Swiatek is in terrible form at the moment.
Sabalenka reached her sixth final of the season at the Madrid Open and second of the clay swing. The 27-year-old finished as runners-up after losing to Jelena Ostapenko in the Stuttgart Open final two weeks ago. She did well to bounce back in Madrid, dropping just one set across six matches.
She then defeated Coco Gauff 6-3, 7-6(3) in the Madrid final to earn her third title at the tournament. Sabalenka has never won a clay title outside of the Madrid Open and that is due to the dominance of Swiatek on the surface. The Polish star has won a total of 10 clay titles, including four French Open.
In fact, Swiatek is the third woman since the Open Era to win the French Open three straight times. However, at the Madrid Open, she was outplayed by Gauff in the semi-finals and performed poorly. That’s the reason Colin Fleming believes that Sabalenka is now the favorite to claim this year’s edition of the French Open.
I think she [Sabalenka] is now pretty firm favourite for Roland Garros, with all that has gone on as we stand here in Madrid. Before this tournament started, I would still have picked Swiatek as the favourite, despite the fact she was out of form. I would have said I think she will find something in Madrid and Rome, and by the time Roland Garros comes around [she’ll be back in form]. But although Iga made the semis and you would say it’s not a terrible result, the manner of the semi-final, I just think there is a question mark of how she will be in Rome and Roland Garros.
Colin Fleming said via Sky Sports
Swiatek has yet to reach a final since claiming the 2024 French Open title. The 23-year-old has not been playing at her best in recent months and struggled at the Madrid Open despite reaching the semi-finals.
Aryna Sabalenka’s record at the French Open
Aryna Sabalenka has won three Grand Slams in her career. She triumphed at the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024, and then at the US Open last season. The World No.1 has reached only two Grand Slam finals and lost. That came at the 2023 US Open and 2025 Australian Open.
She has never reached the final of a clay or grass major event. Her best run at the French Open was back in 2023 when she reached the semi-finals but then lost to the unseeded Karolina Muchova in three sets. Last season, she was the undisputed favorite to reach the semi-finals ahead of her quarter-final match against Mirra Andreeva. But the 27-year-old campaign was disrupted by food poisoning and she eventually lost to the Russian teenager.
Sabalenka hopes to win her first French Open in her career as she currently has the best chance of doing so. However, she will need to make sure she does well at the Italian Open and then hope for the best in Paris.
Iga Swiatek gets comfortable draw at the Italian Open
Iga Swiatek is seeking to end her nightmare title drought at the Italian Open. The defending champion defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3 to win the Rome title for the third time in four years. She arrived at the tournament after losing to Coco Gauff in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open. The World No.2 is under significant rankings pressure, with 1,000 points to defend.
She has been drawn to face either Elina Avanesyan or Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the second round after earning a first-round bye. Following that, she has a potential clash against Danielle Collins in the third round before a likely meeting with Elina Svitolina in the fourth round, which will take her to the quarter-finals if she does win.
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