Roland Garros / French Open 2023 [Women] - Grand Slam

tented

Administrator
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
21,664
Reactions
10,488
Points
113
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
DATE: May 28 - June 11, 2023
SURFACE: Clay
PRIZE MONEY: €49,600,000
FIELD SIZE: 128
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Iga Swiatek

Seeds:

1. Iga Swiatek
2. Aryna Sabalenka
3. Jessica Pegula
4. Elena Rybakina
5. Caroline Garcia
6. Coco Gauff
7. Ons Jabeur
8. Maria Sakkari
9. Daria Kasatkina
10. Petra Kvitova
11. Veronika Kudermetova
12. Belinda Bencic
13. Barbora Krejcikova
14. Beatriz Haddad Maia
15. Liudmila Samsonova
16. Karolina Pliskova
17. Jelena Ostapenko
18. Victoria Azarenka
19. Zheng Qinwen
20. Madison Keys
21. Donna Vekic
22. Magda Linette
23. Ekaterina Alexandrova
24. Anastasia Potapova
25. Anhelina Kalinina
26. Martina Trevisan
27. Irina-Camelia Begu
28. Elise Mertens
29. Paula Badosa
30. Zhang Shuai
31. Sorana Cirstea
32. Marie Bouzkova

24829a0e-8530-4b48-84fb-6b1f50e04354_20220605_RG_AL_4841_web.jpg


The Tournament:

The French Open (French: Internationaux de France de tennis), also known as Roland-Garros, is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France, beginning in late May each year. The tournament and venue are named after the French aviator Roland Garros. The French Open is the premier clay court championship in the world and the only Grand Slam tournament currently held on this surface. It is chronologically the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments, occurring after the Australian Open and before Wimbledon and the US Open. Until 1975, the French Open was the only major tournament not played on grass. Between the seven rounds needed for a championship, the clay surface characteristics (slower pace, higher bounce), and the best-of-five-set men's singles matches, the French Open is widely regarded as the most physically demanding tennis tournament in the world.

La_Tour_Eiffel_vue_de_la_Tour_Saint-Jacques,_Paris_août_2014_(2).jpg


About Paris:

Paris is the capital and most populous city of France, with an official estimated population of 2,102,650 residents as of 1 January 2023 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the fourth-most populated city in the European Union as well as the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2022. Since the 17th century, Paris has been one of the world's major centres of finance, diplomacy, commerce, fashion, gastronomy, and science. For its leading role in the arts and sciences, as well as its early and extensive system of street lighting, in the 19th century, it became known as "the City of Light". Like London, prior to the Second World War, it was also sometimes called the capital of the world.

The City of Paris is the centre of the Île-de-France region, or Paris Region, with an official estimated population of 12,271,794 inhabitants on January 1, 2023, or about 19% of the population of France, making the region France's primate city. The Paris Region had a GDP of €739 billion ($743 billion) in 2019, the highest in Europe. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, in 2022, Paris was the city with the ninth-highest cost of living in the world.

Tourism Guide:

 

MargaretMcAleer

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
46,482
Reactions
30,564
Points
113
Interesting fact this year,
If Swiatek loses before the SF, Sabalenka will be the new No 1 ranked player, no matter what she does.
 

MargaretMcAleer

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
46,482
Reactions
30,564
Points
113
I found this statement from Jim Courier ( who I am not a fan of ) speaking of player that may do well at RG this year

" Coco deserves to be in that discussion, given her run last year. She's having some difficulties in singles right now.The doubles court has been a safe harbor for her to keep confidence. Hopefully that will give her another good run in Paris".
 

MargaretMcAleer

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
46,482
Reactions
30,564
Points
113
I found this statement from Jim Courier ( who I am not a fan of ) speaking of player that may do well at RG this year ( source The Tennis Letter)

" Coco deserves to be in that discussion, given her run last year. She's having some difficulties in singles right now.The doubles court has been a safe harbor for her to keep confidence. Hopefully that will give her another good run in Paris".
Well Jim if you noticed, Coco's lost 2 finals, Madrid and Rome, she was flat as a tack, lost in both doubles finals with Jess Pegula, who by the way is also struggling with form, both players have been sub par going into Roland Garros this year. Personally speaking I always view players that may do well with their results on clay before Roland Garros, this year, not last year, Coco is struggling with form, going out in early in 3 tournaments she has played..
 
Last edited:

PhiEaglesfan712

Major Winner
Joined
Sep 7, 2022
Messages
1,046
Reactions
1,014
Points
113
Well Jim if you noticed, Coco's lost 2 finals, Madrid and Rome, she was flat as a tack, lost in both doubles finals with Jess Pegula, who by the way is also struggling with form, both players have been sub par going into Roland Garros this year. Personally speaking I always view players that may do well with their results on clay before Roland Garros, this year, not last year, Coco is struggling with form, going out in early in 3 tournaments she has played..
With Coco, it's two sides of the coin. The optimistic side is that Coco was not on form last year leading into the FO. The pessimstic side is that last year's run was largely due to the draw, as Coco didn't play any Top 30 player leading into the Final.

To be honest, Coco's form on clay in 2021, where she made the semis at Rome, was better than 2022 and 2023. The one Coco really should have won was the 2021 FO. In hindsight, Coco's 2021 run at the FO was better than 2022. There, she beat Jennifer Brady (AO finalist) and Ons Jabeur 3 & 1.
 

MargaretMcAleer

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
46,482
Reactions
30,564
Points
113
With Coco, it's two sides of the coin. The optimistic side is that Coco was not on form last year leading into the FO. The pessimstic side is that last year's run was largely due to the draw, as Coco didn't play any Top 30 player leading into the Final.

To be honest, Coco's form on clay in 2021, where she made the semis at Rome, was better than 2022 and 2023. The one Coco really should have won was the 2021 FO. In hindsight, Coco's 2021 run at the FO was better than 2022. There, she beat Jennifer Brady (AO finalist) and Ons Jabeur 3 & 1.
Coco's form has gone backwards, this year, she needs an experience coach, as I have said many times, her serve needs attention ASAP, she needs variety, her FH is not acceptable at present, for this level, nothing has been done anything about it? she needs to get rid of the western grip on her fhand for starters, she has become too tentative, not knowing when to turn defense into offense, on the clay that is the first principal.,a draw is on paper only, she relies too much on her defense, that only gets you so far.Coco also needs to stop playing doubles in smaller tournaments, it is doing harm to her singles play, eg, at the doubles finals in Madrid and Rome, she was flat as a tack, maybe playing doubles at GS events when she gets a day off to re-charge. Apparently she will be interviewing a new coach, hopefully the new coach can sort out the technical faults in her game, the fhand is her achilles heel and players just attack it, winning easy points., the serve needs attention as well.
 
Last edited:

MargaretMcAleer

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
46,482
Reactions
30,564
Points
113
I would just like to point out, I am trying to be ' constructive' where Coco is concerned, I am not being negative towards her. If I didnt think she has the talent, I would not bother. I had a technical fault on my bhand, my fhand has always been my better shot, my coach at the time, made me do drills on my bhand wing, till I was 'blue in the face" I hated it, though in the end it did pay off.Coco is a good athlete, and I hope she does reach her potential, she is mature beyond her years, and has a good grounding, thanks to her parents.
 

Jelenafan

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Messages
3,672
Reactions
5,008
Points
113
Location
California, USA
Ouch. Sofia Kenin lost in the 1st round of qualifying to WC Margaux Rouvroy who is ranked somewhere near 280 in straight sets.

Having beaten Sabalenka in the last couple of weeks I thought Sofia might get alot of confidence mojo from that.
 

MargaretMcAleer

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
46,482
Reactions
30,564
Points
113
Ouch. Sofia Kenin lost in the 1st round of qualifying to WC Margaux Rouvroy who is ranked somewhere near 280 in straight sets.

Having beaten Sabalenka in the last couple of weeks I thought Sofia might get alot of confidence mojo from that.
I have already put that in the WTA news yesterday! Clay has never been Kenin's best surface BTW,
 
Last edited:

MargaretMcAleer

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
46,482
Reactions
30,564
Points
113
There are question marks surrounding Iga Swiatek, forced to retire with a thigh injury in a 3 sets battle with Elena Rybakina in Rome. 3 RG titles would place Iga in an elite group, joining Serena Williams, Monica Seles, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Hilde Krahwinkle Sperling on that tally.
Sabalenka has never reached the 2nd round at RG, in five previous attempts.If she take home a successiva GS, Sabalenka would be the first woman to win back to back majors since Naomi Osaka clinched 2018 US Open and 2019 AO, also she will take the No 1 ranking from Swiatek, ( as I posted above Switak has to make the SFs of RG this year, it she loses Sabalenka will be the No 1 ranking player, no matter what she does.
Ons Jabeur has all the craft and variety in her game to win RG, though sad to say through injury, she could not defend her Madrid title of last year, went out early at Rome. This year at RG she really has no points to defend as she went out in the first rd in 2022, I have to put a 'cloud' on Jabeur going into RG, I am not sure she has gotten her over injury, you have to be physically 100% at RG it tests you for the 2 weeks, if Ons has recovered she could be 'one to watch'
Rybakina has found her clay legs and game, so far in the tournaments before RG, winning in Rome,is a good confidence booster going into RG.
 
Last edited:
  • Wow
Reactions: AnonymousFan

Jelenafan

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Messages
3,672
Reactions
5,008
Points
113
Location
California, USA
I have already put that in the WTA news yesterday! Clay has never been Kenin's best surface BTW,
I suppose her French Open finals on the red dirt in 2020 was a bit of an aberration, Sofia has never done much before or since on the surface. Still, she has that muscle memory that she won 6 consecutive matches on Roland Garros so lightning could strike twice. ; )

I’m reminded of Anastassia Myskina who won the French one year, but otherwise had a dismal record there
 
  • Like
Reactions: AnonymousFan

MargaretMcAleer

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
46,482
Reactions
30,564
Points
113
I suppose her French Open finals on the red dirt in 2020 was a bit of an aberration, Sofia has never done much before or since on the surface. Still, she has that muscle memory that she won 6 consecutive matches on Roland Garros so lightning could strike twice. ; )

I’m reminded of Anastassia Myskina who won the French one year, but otherwise had a dismal record there
Anastassia Myskina winning in 2004 opened the flood gates of Russian revolution, defeating her friend Elena Dementieva in the final :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: AnonymousFan

PhiEaglesfan712

Major Winner
Joined
Sep 7, 2022
Messages
1,046
Reactions
1,014
Points
113
I suppose her French Open finals on the red dirt in 2020 was a bit of an aberration, Sofia has never done much before or since on the surface. Still, she has that muscle memory that she won 6 consecutive matches on Roland Garros so lightning could strike twice. ; )

I’m reminded of Anastassia Myskina who won the French one year, but otherwise had a dismal record there
Then again, you could consider Kenin's entire 2020 season as an aberration. She was the WTA player of the year in 2020, winning 16 matches at the slams in a shortened year mind you. Outside of that year, Kenin has won a total of 16 matches at the slams in 5+ seasons. If you think that FO finals appearance is an aberration, just wait until you find out that outside of Kenin's 2020 AO win, she has 2 second round losses and 3 first round losses in 5 other AO appearances.

Kenin's 2020 season would rank up there with 1998 Marcelo Rios as the greatest one year wonder in tennis.
 

MargaretMcAleer

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
46,482
Reactions
30,564
Points
113
Then again, you could consider Kenin's entire 2020 season as an aberration. She was the WTA player of the year in 2020, winning 16 matches at the slams in a shortened year mind you. Outside of that year, Kenin has won a total of 16 matches at the slams in 5+ seasons. If you think that FO finals appearance is an aberration, just wait until you find out that outside of Kenin's 2020 AO win, she has 2 second round losses and 3 first round losses in 5 other AO appearances.

Kenin's 2020 season would rank up there with 1998 Marcelo Rios as the greatest one year wonder in tennis.
Quite frankly I dont know what we are talking about Kenin, I put her going out yesterday in qualifers to a French Wild card, on the WTA News ,she took Sablaenka out? dosent mean she was going to do much at RG this year, just look at her struggling record in 2023?
I would prefer to discuss the players this year that are actually playing RG and their chances BTW lol!
 
  • Haha
Reactions: AnonymousFan

Jelenafan

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Messages
3,672
Reactions
5,008
Points
113
Location
California, USA
A que
Then again, you could consider Kenin's entire 2020 season as an aberration. She was the WTA player of the year in 2020, winning 16 matches at the slams in a shortened year mind you. Outside of that year, Kenin has won a total of 16 matches at the slams in 5+ seasons. If you think that FO finals appearance is an aberration, just wait until you find out that outside of Kenin's 2020 AO win, she has 2 second round losses and 3 first round losses in 5 other AO appearances.

Kenin's 2020 season would rank up there with 1998 Marcelo Rios as the greatest one year wonder in tennis.
I will raise your Kenin/Marcello Rios aberration years with my Eugenie (Me! Look at me!! Me!) Bouchard 2014. ; )
 
  • Haha
Reactions: AnonymousFan

MargaretMcAleer

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
46,482
Reactions
30,564
Points
113
Getting back to contenders for RG,

Caroline Garcia has been mentioned though she had a emotional melt down in Rome after her loss and was in tears., I dont know what is going on there, she is back with her former coach she had good results with as well from last year.
Coco Gauff, last years finalist, hasnt had a good preparation coming into Roland Garros this year, going out early in the pre clay tournaments she has played
I dont think Pegula can win RG, again her pre clay tournaments left a lot to be desired,
Coco and Jess are playing doubles at RG, though seeing they have a day off to recharge, I dont think that will hurt their singles play, I hope not anyway
Sakkari has too many mental issues to be a contender for a Major
Petra on clay Nope
Ksatkina, clay is her best surface, though winning a Major at RG Nope

Well that is my view on the top 10 ranked players for RG this year, I feel if Iga is healthy she will be the one to beat

Posters feel free to post your thoughts on RG 2023 and contenders
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: AnonymousFan