French Open 2025: Top women's singles contenders
The French Open, set to be played between May 25 and June 8 this year, is the only Grand Slam to be played on clay.
The red clay of the Roland-Garros Stadium has been one of the toughest tests for players due to its slowness and bounce, requiring players to generate their own pace.
Last year, the women’s singles final was contested between defending champion Iga Swiatek and Jasmine Paolini. Swiatek won her third consecutive and fourth overall French Open title by beating her Italian counterpart in straight sets, 6–2, 6–1—a dominant performance from start to finish.
Here, we take a look at the top contenders for the women’s singles title at the 2025 French Open.
Iga Swiatek
The four-time French Open champion is the prime contender for the title yet again. Even though Swiatek hasn’t had a great 2025 season so far, she’s still arguably the best female player on Roland-Garros clay. Last year, she won the singles title here dropping only one set and winning matches by often humiliating her opponents.
Swiatek is an aggressive baseline player who dictates rallies with her dominant style of play. In addition, she possesses great mental fortitude, which has enabled her to win matches from losing positions. She may not have the fastest of serves, but her serve is still a reliable option that helps her win points.
This season, Swiatek has failed to win a WTA Tour title, which is a surprise given she has been the one of the most consistent players at WTA events. However, the World No. 2 remains the toughest opponent on clay and could go on to win her fifth Roland-Garros crown this year.
Aryna Sabalenka
The current World No. 1 is another serious contender. Even though she failed to make it a third straight title at the Australian Open earlier this year, losing to Madison Keys in the final, Sabalenka can never be counted out. The hard-hitter recently lost the Stuttgart Open final on clay, but since the Miami Open she has regained her form and looks more prepared for the upcoming tournaments.
Sabalenka had a decent outing at last year’s French Open, where she reached the quarter-finals.
The 26-year-old Belarusian is known for her powerful groundstrokes and serves. She prefers the hard courts, though she performs consistently on other surfaces as well. She has the game and mentality to win on any surface, and with the Madrid Open as well as the Italian Open still to play to get comfortable on the clay surface, Sabalenka may very well go all the way at Roland-Garros this year.
Mirra Andreeva
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva has taken the tennis world by storm this season. By winning back-to-back WTA Masters 1000 titles—at the Dubai Tennis Championships and the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells—she has proved she belongs in the big league. En route to both titles, she beat heavyweights like Elena Rybakina, Iga ?wi?tek, and Aryna Sabalenka.
Andreeva’s run at last year’s French Open was also commendable, as she beat Victoria Azarenka and Sabalenka on her way to the semi-finals. The 17-year-old has massively improved her all-round game, and her ability to keep her composure in tough moments has led to major wins.
Andreeva’s coming-of-age season positions her as a genuine contender for the French Open title this year. With growing confidence, unwavering self-belief, and sharp tactical awareness, she has all the tools to make a deep run and potentially claim her first Grand Slam title.
Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff announced herself to the tennis world at a very young age and was widely regarded as a prodigy set to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Williams sisters. The current World No. 3 is already a Grand Slam and WTA Finals champion and knows what it takes to win big tournaments.
Like Sabalenka, Gauff is also a hard-hitting player who prefers hard courts, though her performances on clay in recent years suggest an affinity for this surface as well. In the last three years, the 21-year-old has made two quarter-final and one semi-final appearance at Roland-Garros, which bodes well for her as she prepares for this year’s French Open.
Gauff undoubtedly has the talent to beat anyone when she’s at her best. If she can build on her deep run from last year, this could very well be her breakthrough year at Roland-Garros.
Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina is an enigma. While she has dropped out of the top ten rankings this season, she cannot be underestimated.
Armed with one of the best serves on the women’s circuit, Rybakina’s calm, effortless approach on the court has made her a Grand Slam champion. Though she prefers hard and grass courts, her performances at the French Open have improved over the years. Last year, she made it to the quarters at Roland-Garros, only to lose to eventual finalist Jasmine Paolini.
Rybakina is a feared opponent and difficult to predict. Even though she hasn’t won a WTA title this year, she has consistently reached the quarters and semis at recent WTA events.
Despite slipping out of the top ten, Rybakina remains one of the most gifted players on the tour. If she rediscovers her top form at Roland-Garros, few in the field have the tools to derail her pursuit.
Jessica Pegula
Jessica Pegula has been one of the most consistent performers on the tour for a while now. Reaching last year’s US Open final has given her some much-needed belief—something she had been lacking.
Pegula is currently a top-ten-ranked player and will be in decent form going into the French Open. She was runner-up at the Miami Open, which she followed by winning the Charleston Open and reaching the Stuttgart Open quarters. She made it to the French Open quarters back in 2022, while she had to sit out last year’s edition due to injury.
Pegula brings a calm demeanour to the court, which she backs with consistent baseline play, a strong return of serve, and skilful net play. Her recent deep runs at the Grand Slams have boosted her confidence; this could very well be the tournament where she finally wins her maiden Grand Slam title.
Jelena Ostapenko
Jelena Ostapenko is undoubtedly one of the most exasperating yet entertaining players on the tour. You never know which version of the 2017 French Open winner will turn up on any given day—the one who delivers winner after winner or the one who makes way too many errors.
One can say the Latvian knows her way around the red clay at the Roland-Garros Stadium, though since her win in 2017 she has struggled to make it past the second round at the French Open.
The reason for having her as an outside contender is that Ostapenko has been in decent form this year. At the recently concluded Stuttgart Open, she defeated both Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka on her way to the title.
A predominantly aggressive player, Ostapenko never shies away from going for her shots. When she’s in form, her fearless, high-octane style makes her a formidable opponent—one capable of snatching the match out of anyone’s hands. However, her high-risk game can be a double-edged sword, leaving her vulnerable to unforced errors. Still, she knows what it takes to triumph in Paris.
If momentum favours her, Ostapenko could very well be one of the dark horses for the tournament. If she catches fire, it won’t be a surprise if she lifts the trophy for a second time.
Jasmine Paolini
It was a breakthrough season for Jasmine Paolini last time out as she reached back-to-back Grand Slam finals at the French Open and Wimbledon. She also won an Olympic Doubles gold medal with Sara Errani and climbed up the singles rankings, ending 2024 ranked No. 5 in the world.
Though 2025 hasn’t started as well as last year, Paolini remains a competitive and energetic player with a tough mentality. She has recently regained her form with back-to-back semi-final appearances at the Miami Open and the Stuttgart Open. She was also a finalist at the French Open last year, which indicates her affinity for the red clay.
The 29-year-old Italian is known for her aggressive style of play, marked by powerful groundstrokes and remarkable agility that allow her to cover the court with ease. Having reached the French Open final last year, Paolini has shown she has the tools to compete at the highest level. If she can maintain her form through the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, she could very well be on track to make a serious run at Roland-Garros this year.
