Roland Garros preview: all the way lead to Simona Halep

The Roland Garros 2020 will be the most atypical edition ever in the history of the Parisian Slam. France is in the midst of a second wave of the global pandemic, with new restrictions, and this will surely affect the estimated crowd presence in Bois de Boulogne, currently between 1000 and 5000 people per day). It will also be the first time that Roland Garros will be played in the Autumn, despite the new technologies on Philippe Chatrier Court, such as the retractable roof and the lights.

The women's singles, however, this time could have a real and clear favorite: Simona Halep, seed no.1 and winner of both the Prague Open and the Italian Open, who appeared in great shape in Rome after skipping the Western and the Southern Open and the US Open. Women's tennis hasn't found a real queen yet, right. The Parisian Slam draw, which will have to live with the absences of Ashleigh Barty, Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu, will be able to count on the Romanian.

Viktoria Azarenka and Karolina Pliskova will also teh other stars, with Serena Williams who will once again try to catch the twenty-fourth Grand Slam title, a record that continues to elude the American champion. In the first quarter-final Simona Halep could meet Kiki Bertens. For the number one of seeding the obstacles could almost all condense in the first week. In the if lot we find Amanda Anisimova in the third round and Marketa Vondrousova in the round of 16. In the same portion of the draw Johanna Konta is on a collision course with Cori Gauff.

The bottom-half and the other stars

Further down Maria Sakkari and Svetlana Kuznetsova, with Kiki Bertens holding the role of favorite. Serena Williams could meet Elina Svitolina. The US champion has Kristie Ahn, Tsvetana Pironkova and Viktoria Azarenka on the road. All players he has already faced at Flushing Meadows. Elina Svitolina could instead be in the semifinal. Instead a potential quarter-final between Garbine Muguruza and Sofia Kenin is interesting The poorest segment of the draw is the one with Garbine Muguruza, the number eleven of the seeding. The Spanish tennis player, on a collision course with Aryna Sabalenka in the round of 16, could potentially find anyone in the quarterfinals.

Sofia Kenin was unable to move the zero from the game box against Viktoria Azarenka in Rome, Elena Rybakina has recently found her shape on clay-courts. Karolina Muchova and Donna Vekic, the other two seeds present, will inevitably play the role of unknowns.

In the last potential quarter, Karolina Pliskova should face Petra Kvitova. Karolina Pliskova was unable to complete the final in Rome, but she still did not give up on the Paris stage. Jelena Ostapenko and Sloane Stephens could be on the way to the Czech. Under the segment of Petra Kvitova, who will face the French Ocean Dodin.

Having said that, after very balanced Slams full of surprises, this time there could be a real favorite over all the others: Simona Halep, in great psycho-physical shape, with not much pressure on her, and with the full technical and mental maturity of her tennis. Muguruza more than the others could be the real competitor on clay-courts for the Romanian. Eline Mertens and Petra Martic the outsiders? Serena Williams, as always, will be able to win if she finds physical and mental balance, which she cannot, in the Slams, from the 2017 Australian Open.

Roland Garros 2020 will stage from 28 September to 11 October 2020, with amazing news from Bois de Boulogne, like the roof and the lights on the Philippe Chatrier, and the presence of the crowds, despite there is an hard health emergency in Paris.

ROLAND GARROS 2020 WOMEN'S SINGLES PERCENTAGES

Simona Halep 50% Garbine Muguruza 25% Karolina Pliskova 15% Serena Williams 10%

Outsiders: Elise Mertens, Petra Martic

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2G0EWs8