2019 French Open Expert Picks: The Women
The Top 10 seeds can go in a variety of directions, according to our panel.
View the entire women's bracket at our Roland Garros tournament page.
MATT FITZGERALD: Kiki Bertens
The fourth seed is ready for another Paris fairytale, this time with a storybook ending. With first-time winners lifting the trophy the past three years, history’s on her side.
STEVE FLINK: Simona Halep
She will defend her title because she is more reliable on this surface than anyone else.
CALE HAMMOND: Kiki Bertens
The Dutchwoman has arguably been the best clay-court player in the world this year. Since 2016 she owns more wins on clay than any of her peers. She is ready to finally break through on the biggest stage.
ED MCGROGAN: Kiki Bertens
The Dutch dirtballer finds herself in the less-ominous half of the draw, and riding a wave of momentum. Look at her Madrid run one more time.
ASHLEY NDEBELE: Karolina Pliskova
Clay might not be her best surface, but Pliskova showed us in Rome that there’s room for her big game on the red dirt.
NINA PANTIC: Petra Kvitova
With the top quarter of the draw stacked with possible champions, Kvitova has a shot at slipping by under the radar. She’s won two titles this year—a rare feat on the WTA tour.
JORDAAN SANFORD: Simona Halep
Last year, she hoisted an impressive 16-3 record during the clay season. The Romanian loves the clay and I could see her repeating.
STEVE TIGNOR: Simona Halep
Having reached three finals at Roland Garros, including the last two, she knows how to win here as well as anyone else at the moment.
MATT FITZGERALD: Kristina Mladenovic
Her confidence restored since adding coach Sascha Bajin, Mladenovic is in No. 2 seed Karolina Pliskova’s section. They’ve never met on clay, but they've split their four meetings. It's a huge opportunity for Kiki to confirm she’s back.
STEVE FLINK: Johanna Konta
Her play last week in Rome was stellar, and she is playing Top 10-level tennis again.
CALE HAMMOND: Maria Sakkari
After a stellar spring, Sakkari sits at a career-high No. 29 in the world and shows no signs of slowing down. She has beaten both Kvitova and Bertens on clay this year, and if she stays hot, she can beat anyone in the draw.
ED MCGROGAN: Daria Kasatkina
She hasn't had a great year, but she's won big on clay before and, on her best day, has talent few can match.
ASHLEY NDEBELE: Johanna Konta
She’s made a breakthrough this clay swing by reaching two finals. She’s never reached past the first round in Paris, but she’s finally found her footing on dirt.
NINA PANTIC: Johanna Konta
She reached the Rome final and should carry that momentum into Paris, where she won’t feel any of the pressure that will hit her at Wimbledon.
JORDAAN SANFORD: Su-wei Hsieh
The unorthodox pro could potentially make a deep run. She has showcased she can not only compete but win against top players such as Osaka and Halep.
STEVE TIGNOR: Yulia Putintseva
She’s gone deep, and even threatened Serena, at the French in the past, and her third-quarter draw presents another opportunity.
MATT FITZGERALD: Naomi Osaka
If the top seed wins her opener, she’ll face 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko or Victoria Azarenka. Both relish a big stage and the pressure will firmly rest on Osaka’s shoulders.
STEVE FLINK: Angelique Kerber
She is far more comfortable on grass and hard courts, where she has won all three of her majors.
CALE HAMMOND: Serena Williams
It doesn’t take much for Serena to play her way into any tournament, but she has hardly played any tennis this year. She has retired from her last three tournaments (Rome, Miami and Indian Wells). The GOAT will likely not be fit enough to make a deep run in Paris.
ED MCGROGAN: Ashleigh Barty
Assuming she plays—the Aussie withdrew from a warm-up event with a right-arm injury—the No. 8 seed can run into trouble quickly.
ASHLEY NDEBELE: Simona Halep
The season hasn’t been kind to Halep. Even though clay is her favorite surface, and she’s the defending champion, I don’t see her getting past the first week.
NINA PANTIC: Elina Svitolina
She’s been hampered by a knee injury, is riding a four-match losing streak, hasn’t won a match on clay in 2019 and has drawn Venus Williams in her opener. That’s enough to bet against her.
JORDAAN SANFORD: Naomi Osaka
Osaka suffered a hand injury in Rome, forcing her to withdraw. She enters the French Open in a loaded top quarter in her first major as the No. 1 seed.
STEVE TIGNOR: Kiki Bertens
She's been tremendous this spring, but did she peak too early, with her title in Madrid?
