French Open 2014: Women to lookout for : Other contenders

Thursday, July 10, 2025

French Open 2014: Women to lookout for

Serena Williams (USA), top seed

American powerhouse, Serena, is set to defend her crown in Paris. The World No. 1 warmed up for Roland Garros with the Rome title, dropping just one set and 22 games all week.

Serena is vying to win a third French Open honour and is eyeing an 18th Grand Slam title overall that would tie her with Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.

The last six years of the French Open has seen six different winners in the women`s section and Serena would love to prevent a seventh new winner.

Maria Sharapova (Russia), seventh seed

The Russian sensation is in good form and pocketed two titles back to back in Stuttgart and Madrid.

Although she has dropped down to No. 8 in the WTA rankings, that will have no bearing on Maria in Roland Garros. Sharapova won the 2012 edition in Paris and was the runner-up in 2013 as she lost to Serena in the finals.

If anybody can challenge for the top its undoubtedly Sharapova who will eye a third successive final and a second French Open title.

Li Na (China), second seed

Chinese prodigy Li Na, eyes her second Grand Slam this season after already winning the season opening Australian Open.

The former French Open champion will vie to be only the second woman after Jennifer Capriati (2001) to win the year`s first two Slams.

After losing in the second round in Paris last year, she has reached 13 quarter-finals out of 14 tournaments since then.

Agnieszka Radawanska (Poland), Third seed

The Polish World No. 3 has never won a Grand Slam despite being in the top four rankings for quite some years.

Radawanska reached the quarter finals in Paris last year and will hope to go a notch higher this term. 2014 hasn`t gone her way so far and apart from one final appearance at the BNP Paribas Open, she lost the Madrid Open semis before losing to Simon Halep in the quarter final at Rome last week.

With Victoria Azarenka injured, Radawanska will eye for a top four finish atleast.

Other contenders

Sara Errani (Italy): The four-time doubles Grand Slam winner has been in the running in the singles for quite some time now.

Errani`s performances in Paris has been noteworthy. She was the runner-up in 2012 and qualified in the semis last year.

Simona Halep (Romania): The Romanian sensation is having the best form of her life and has entered the top four for the first time in the WTA rankings.

The 22-year old reached the finals of the Madrid Open where she lost to Sharapova but on her way she went onto beat Ana Ivanovic and Petra Kvitova.

She will be hoping to prevent a hattrick of first round exits from Paris. Serbian duo Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic along with Petra Kvitova and Caroline Wozniacki are the other contenders.