No Serena, No Sharapova: Will the French Open see the rise of a new women’s tennis star?

Even as Petra Kvitova mulls her participation at the French Open, the women’s playing field remains as level as it has ever been.

Until it was confirmed by the President of the French Tennis Federation Bernard Giudicelli on May 16 that Maria Sharapova wasn’t among the list of wild card recipients for this year’s tournament, hopes did float around about her being the dark horse to cause damage in a draw that was already deprived of Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and until Tuesday, Kvitova as well.

However, with that avenue being conclusively shut down and with a few players trying to raise their heads above the chaos that’s the women’s tennis Tour is in these past two weeks, it’s only fair to analyse these playing names, giving them equal opportunities, which may not be afforded by the draw in its entirety.

Elina Svitolina

The Ukrainian has plowed her way through the Tour, not only in terms of winning tournaments, but also in her decisive performances against her higher ranked rivals.

Svitolina won her fourth title of the season, and second Premier 5 title of the year (after Dubai), at the Rome Open this past week. The win saw her ascend to the sixth place in the ranking, her personal career-high. More importantly though, Svitolina made her way through to the top-spot in the Race to Singapore, bypassing the likes of Angelique Kerber, Karolina Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza.

These successes aside, the bigger question is whether she can replicate her good run in the Women’s Tennis Association tournaments in the French capital? And, no matter how convincing she has been up to now, she didn’t exactly have the ideal of starts at the Australian Open to make a case for herself.

Simona Halep

The fortnight before the all-important two weeks in Paris was going picture perfect for the Romanian, before she encountered an unexpected hurdle.

Firstly, she defended her WTA Premier Mandatory title in Madrid and then, instead of promptly losing steam – as most players in the WTA are wont to do, between one event to the other – brought forth her raging form to Rome as well. While she did well to make it to the final, her sustaining an injury to her right ankle quashed all advantage she had secured against Svitolina, who breezed past her in the final set to win the match, despite having been a set and break down in the match.

In her post-match media addressing Halep mentioned that the injury wouldn’t threaten her playing in Paris. However, the doctors assessing Halep’s injured ankle haven’t exactly supplemented her optimism, giving her about 50% chance to participate in the event.

With just four days to go for the French Open to start, this new information stands to jeopardise all that Halep has worked hard for. Not only to sort out her inconsistent performances, but also make a stronger run at a Major, where she has been a former finalist.

Will it be her injury that has the final say in ousting her from the tournament even before she can step on the court? Or, will it be Halep, who overcomes her physique to stand tall at the end of the two weeks? The WTA is, indeed, witnessing a hotbed of frenetic action.

Kristina Mladenovic

In the last few days, the Frenchwoman has turned heads her way. Some of it has been because of her contrarian stand in the saga of Sharapova’s comeback. And, most of it has been because of the way she’s been delivering on results, on the court.

Mladenovic has won one WTA title so far this year. but more specifically reached two back-to-back finals in Stuttgart and Madrid. Of the two, her performance in Stuttgart was the most impressive since she notched a second round upset over the world No 1 Angelique Kerber, before waylaying Sharapova in a riveting three-set contest.

However, it is just as imperative to source to her equally disappointing performance, which came about in Rome as she lost to Germany’s Julia Goerges in the first round itself. With players scrambling to muster up their consistency to play out the seven rounds over the course of the forthcoming two weeks, this first round upset of hers in the Italian city hints that Mladenovic could struggle in her home Slam.

Garbine Muguruza

The defending French Open champion looked to be peaking just in time, in Rome, before attempting on her title defence. However, the neck injury that forced her to retire mid-match in her semi-final against Svitolina put paid to her aspirations of getting her wayward season back on track.

There’s no doubt about Muguruza playing in Paris. But, to a great extent, her injury diminishes her chances of winning the second Major of her career.

Karolina Pliskova

The world No 3 has had contrasting results throughout the clay season, this far. She reached the quarter-finals in Stuttgart and Rome, but she also exited early in Prague and Madrid.

While this makes her, for most parts, an unknown entity as far as a potential title-holder at the French Open is concerned, her relatively understated presence in the draw makes her a challenging opponent. One who may strike the hardest, when least expected to do so.