French Open women's singles preview: Simona Halep defends her title
The 121st edition of the women's singles at the French Open will be an open battle between many contenders, able to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen. Simona Halep will have the difficult task of defending the 2018 title, after a not so brilliant first part of the season from a physical point of view.
Naomi Osaka leads the draw. On her way, the Japanese could cross Serena Williams, Ashleigh Barty or Bianca Andreescu in the quarter-finals, and one between Simona Halep or Petra Kvitova in the semifinals.
In the bottom-half, Sloane Stephens could meet Garbine Muguruza or Elina Svitolina first, and then Belinda Bencic or Kiki Bertens. Angelique Kerber is on the same side as Caroline Wozniacki and Karolina Pliskova.
After the last few weeks, we could say that the favourites for the final victory are a group of tennis players who will start with the same chances of victory. Some of them express their best tennis on fast surfaces, like Pliskova and Kvitova, but they are getting great improvements and successes also on clay-courts.
Pliskova, Kvitova and Bertens could be the most accredited tennis players in the final victory. But even Stephens and Osaka will have their chances. Kerber will have a great chance, by winning, of completing the career Grand Slam, and this will be a great motivation for her or a reason for great pressure. Simona Halep, although she is not going through a great period of athletic shape, will have the chance to confirm herself as a champion, although there are still some doubts about her current form.
Belinda Bencic, Bianca Andreescu, Dayana Yastremska and Aryna Sabalenka are the young women who can have their great chances this Slam. The outsiders could be Petra Martic, Kristina Mladenovic and Maria Sakkari. Few chances of victory for Garbine Muguruza, Caroline Wozniacki and Elina Svitolina, for what they have shown so far in the season.
For Serena Williams the usual speech is worth; should she be at the 80% of her level, she could beat anyone, but probably she will be looking for the all-in at Wimbledon. Maria Sharapova is still injured and will not be playing in Paris.
FRENCH OPEN 2019 - WOMEN'S SINGLE PERCENTAGES:
Bertens 20% Kvitova 20% Pliskova 20% Kerber 15% Osaka 15% Halep 10%
Outsiders: Petra Martic, Maria Sakkari, Belinda Bencic
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2JHduQC
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