French Open 2022: Women's singles power rankings
With high-octane tennis at warm-up events leading up to the French Open coming to an end, the focus now shifts to the second Major of the year. A number of top players have begun arriving at Roland Garros, which will host the claycourt Grand Slam over the next couple of weeks.
Leading the women's field this year are top seed and 2020 Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek, as well as defending champion Barbora Krejcikova. However, a slew of other in-form players like Ons Jabeur and Simona Halep will be looking to make an impact at Roland Garros as well.
On that note, here's a look at the top eight contenders for the title.
Monday at the office 👀
#RolandGarros https://t.co/JRWoI3MeSZ
Note: The following formula was used to calculate the power rankings for this year's French Open: (1x points earned in the 2022 European clay swing + 0.75x points earned in the 2021 European clay swing + 0.5x points earned in the 2020 European clay swing).
Only points earned by reaching the quarterfinals or further in a tournament count towards the rankings. This was done to avoid giving undue advantage to seeded players who received early-round byes.
#8 Jessica Pegula
One of the most in-form players on tour right now, Jessica Pegula will be one of the names to watch out for at the French Open this year.
Pegula provided ample evidence of her claycourt prowess with her run to the final in Madrid earlier this month and a quarterfinal finish in Rome last year. She reached the third round in Paris last year, but comes to Roland Garros this year with a higher seeding and confidence boosts from recent performances.
#7 Coco Gauff
Having reached the quarterfinals in Paris last year, American teenager Coco Gauff will fancy her chances of staging another deep run at the French Open. The youngster had a strong claycourt season in 2021, reaching the last four in Rome in addition to her run in Paris.
While she might not have had the same degree of success this year, she has the ability to beat top players on her day.
A rising star. A prodigy. A teen queen.
Just call her Coco.
#RolandGarros https://t.co/V8XNEH7X5g
#6 Karolina Pliskova
Karolina Pliskova has not always played her best tennis in Paris. She has, however, had plenty of success during the European clay swing outside of the Grand Slam in recent years.
A finalist in Rome in back-to-back years in 2020 and 2021, Pliskova knows what it takes to play well on the surface. While she has not performed at a high level in the ongoing clay swing, she possesses the weapons needed to turn things around in her favor.
Currently playing in Strasbourg, Pliskova is through to the quarterfinals and faces Maryna Zanevska for a spot in the last four.
#5 Paula Badosa
World No. 3 Paula Badosa had her breakthrough season in 2021 as things clicked for the Spaniard during the European clay swing.
The Spaniard beat Ashleigh Barty on the green clay in Charleston before reaching her maiden WTA 1000 semifinal in Madrid. She went on to lift a first career title in Serbia and followed that up with a quarterfinal finish at the French Open.
While her results this year pale in comparison to what she managed in 2021, she still has to be regarded as a contender for the title in Paris.
#4 Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka lifted her first and only WTA 1000 claycourt title in Madrid last year, beating former World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty in the summit clash.
Consecutive finals in Stuttgart in 2021 and 2022 and a semifinal run in Rome last week are testament to just what the big-hitting Belarusian is capable of. The 24-year-old has never made it past the third round at Roland Garros and will look to have a deep run this year.
#3 Barbora Krejcikova
Barbora Krejcikova was an unlikely Grand Slam champion, going all the way in the Paris Major last year as an unseeded player. She beat the likes of Gauff, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Maria Sakkari and Elina Svitolina en route to the title.
Her triumph in Paris, along with a title-winning run in Strasbourg last year, was enough to secure third spot in the power rankings. However, the Czech hasn't played since the Qatar Open in February and there are doubts over her fitness heading into the Major.
#2 Ons Jabeur
Ons Jabeur has the highest number of wins on clay this season (17). The only players to have beaten her on the red dirt this year are Iga Swiatek, Belinda Bencic and Paula Badosa.
The last few weeks have seen Jabeur reach three finals -- Charleston, Madrid and Rome -- and lift her maiden WTA 1000 crown. Needless to say, the Tunisian trailblazer will be one of the favorites for the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup this year.
The shirt accuracy 👏💯
Spreading joy to all, @Ons_Jabeur 😁
#RolandGarros https://t.co/pYpu520i2Y
#1 Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek will be the woman to beat at the French Open. The 2020 champion cemented her status as the best player on tour over the last few months by claiming the World No. 1 ranking and winning five titles and 28 matches on the trot.
She has won two titles on clay this season in Stuttgart and Rome. Points from her 2020 French Open triumph and quarterfinal finish last year have put her far ahead of the others on the power rankings list.
Two #RolandGarros champs having a hit 😍
@Simona_Halep x @iga_swiatek https://t.co/QxUGj4vjEB