French Open Women's Singles 2024: Will anyone upset the favourite Swiatek?

Andy Schooler previews the 2024 French Open women’s singles with Iga Swiatek looking a worthy favourite.

Only three women in tennis’ Open Era have won the French Open on four or more occasions – Chris Evert, Steffi Graf and Justine Henin.

2024 provides the chance for Iga Swiatek to join them and become one of the clay court greats.

She’s certainly dominated on this surface ever since winning at Roland Garros for the first time during the COVID-affected 2020 season.

The Pole has now won the title in three of the last four years, while at all levels on clay, she’s won nine of the 15 tournaments she’s contested.

Two of those have been won in the last month – the two biggest warm-up events, Madrid and Rome - so it’s not hard to see why she’s odds-on for victory.

The world number one looks very solid and has to be backed.

Aryna Sabalenka (beaten finalist in Madrid and Rome) and Elena Rybakina (who defeated Swiatek in Stuttgart) are alternatives for those not convinced by Swiatek but I’m prepared to lay third-favourite Coco Gauff.

The current US Open champion hasn’t hit such heights so far in 2024, aside from maybe during the Australasian swing, and she’s certainly made little impact on the clay.

Yes, the American did reach the final here two years ago but a repeat is probably beyond her this time around.

Gauff’s compatriot, Danielle Collins, arguably has a better chance of glory at a considerably better price.

Prior to playing in Strasbourg this week, Collins had won 19 of her last 21 matches, a run taking in WTA titles in Miami and, on clay, Charleston.

She also made the semis in Rome, where it took Sabalenka to beat her.

A renowned fighter capable of crushing the ball, Collins announced her pending retirement in January and seems determined to go out with a bang.

One of the tour’s form players, she looks worth an interest at 29.

Finally, let’s give Marketa Vondrousova a mention.

Reigning Wimbledon champions have often gone off a big price at Roland Garros – grasscourt skills are often incompatible with the much slower clay.

Yet here we have a player who has been to the French Open final before (losing to Ash Barty in 2019) and one who has a track record of delivering on the big stage.

A lack of success on the regular tour hasn’t seemed to bother her with the Czech’s last three finals being the French Open, Olympic Games and Wimbledon.

A recent victory over Sabalenka in Stuttgart is a hint she could make waves again – those seeking a long shot could do worse than back her at 100.

Recommended bets:

Back Iga Swiatek @ 1.8
Lay Coco Gauff @ 9.8
Back Danielle Collins @ 29
Back Marketa Vondrousova @ 100