Swiatek the Favorite For a Roland Garros 3-Peat
2024 French Open Women's Odds Favor Swiatek For Three Consecutive French Open Titles
Swiatek and Sabalenka Could Meet In Their Third Consecutive Tournament
The next Grand Slam tournament is quickly approaching and there are few surprises in the 2024 French Open Women’s Odds.
Two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek is the overwhelming favorite at -138 to become the first WTA player to win four French Open singles titles in five years since Justine Henin accomplished the feat from 2003-2007. Henin and Monica Seles are the only players in the Open era to win three straight French Open women’s singles titles. Aryna Sabalenka (+500), Coco Gauff (+800), and Elena Rybakina (+800) are the other top contenders.
Sabalenka won the first Grand Slam title in 2024. She has -110 odds to win at least two Grand Slam titles this year.
The qualifying draw is currently underway at Roland Garros. Seven-time Grand Slam singles quarterfinalist Sara Errani is the top seed. When looking at the scores, the 2012 finalist at Roland Garros needs one more win to make her 14th appearance in the main draw at the French Open.
The French Open bracket has some intriguing early-round matchups. The main draw matches begin on Sunday.
Ready for a Rematch?
For the first time in their careers, rivals Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka have played twice in the same month as Swiatek won a third-set tiebreaker in the Madrid final earlier this month and in their last tournament, she won 6-2, 6-3 to capture the Italian Open. They lead the way in the 2024 French Open women’s odds.
Swiatek now leads the series with Sabalenka 8-3. While they have split their two WTA Finals matches, their only meeting in a Grand Slam tournament came in the semifinals at the 2022 US Open when Swiatek won 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
“I feel like I’m playing great tennis,” Swiatek told the media after the Italian Open final. “But it doesn’t change the fact that I really want to stay humble and really focused on getting everything step by step. Grand Slams are different. There is different pressure on the court and off the court.”
What a difference from some other women’s tennis rivalries.
Steffi Graf and Monica Seles met in five Grand Slam tournaments from 1992-99. Kim Clijsters and Justin Henin also played against each other five times in Grand Slam events.
Good luck approaching the 22 meetings in Grand Slams between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.
Sabalenka is hoping for another chance at Swiatek and would love for it to happen at Roland Garros.
“I guess that’s what I’m going to try to do differently next time when I’m playing against her, not rush things, trust my game, and know that I don’t have to overdo stuff to get those key points, even though I lost these two finals, I never focus on the past. No matter how many times I lose to the player, I know anyway if I’ll be there, I’ll be fighting, I’ll be focusing on myself, I know that I can get that win.”Sabalenka said.
Swiatek could draw former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka in the second round while former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova could also be an opponent before a potential quarterfinal showdown with Marketa Vondrousova.
American Madison Keys could be a possible Round of 16 opponent for Sabalenka. Daria Kasatkina, talented teen Mirra Andreev, or Maria Sakkari could meet up with Sabalenka in the quarterfinals.
A Look At The US Hopes
An American has reached the 2018, 2020, and 2022 French Open women’s singles finals. However, no American-born player has won the women’s singles title at Roland Garros since Serena Williams won the last of her three French Open titles in 2015.
Gauff leads the 2024 French Open women’s odds among the U.S. players with +800 odds.
Before Gauff can turn her attention to a potential semifinal matchup with Swiatek, she may need to contend with Jelena Ostapenko or Ons Jabeur.
The field lost another top American when Jessica Pegula withdrew as she continues to deal with injuries.
Danielle Collins (+2000) has been playing very well and she has the fifth shortest odds to win the tournament. She is in the same quarter of the bracket as Swiatek.
Former French Open finalist Sloane Stephens joins Madison Keys at +6600 to win the French Open.
It remains to be seen if any other U.S. players can make some noise at Roland Garros.
Some Last-Minute Preparations
There are two tournaments currently taking place.
Marketa Vondrousova, Keys, and Beatriz Haddad Maia are among the players who have reached the quarterfinals in Strasbourg.
Danielle Collins is among the other prominent players in Strasbourg.
There is a WTA 250 event in Morocco. Laura Siegemund, a 2020 French Open quarterfinalist, is one of the biggest names still alive in that tournament. Payton Stearns is the last U.S. player in contention for the title in Morocco.
A Quick History Lesson
All three seeded players, including former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova, in Swiatek’s portion of the draw lost in the first round as Swiatek barely broke a sweat on her way to the 2023 French Open quarterfinals.
Gauff didn’t face a seeded player in her first four matches either.
No. 4 seed Elena Rybakina pulled out of her third-round match while Karolina Muchova topped Maria Sakkari to start a surprising run to the final.
Swiatek and Sabalenka both reached the quarterfinals but only two other seeded players joined them.
Swiatek eliminated No. 6 seed Gauff in the quarterfinals and No. 14 seed Haddad Maia in the semifinals while Muchova stunned Sabalenka 7-5 in the third set in the semifinals before falling in three sets to Swiatek in the title match.
No Weather Concerns
While French Open tournament officials can’t control the weather, they certainly have found a way around dodging rain drops.
Court Suzanne Lenglen will be protected by a retractable roof for the first time in this year’s tournament.
Court Philippe Chatrier, which hosts the elite matches, has had a retractable roof since 2020.
While rain could disrupt play on the outer courts, things should be able to move along with the Roland Garros schedule on the two main show courts at the 2024 French Open.
For Tennis news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
