- Mirra Andreeva reached the last four of the French Open last year
- Jelena Ostapenko’s only major title came at the French Open in 2017
- Ekaterina Alexandrova won the indoor title in Linz in February
- Recommended bets:
- Mirra Andreeva to win
- Jelena Ostapenko each-way
- Ekaterina Alexandrova each-way

The second Grand Slam tournament of the season, the French Open, starts in Paris on Sunday and it is a surprise to see that Iga Swiatek, winner of the women’s singles in the last three years and four of the last five seasons, is not the favourite to retain her crown.

That honour goes to Aryna Sabalenka this year, but while the world No.1 is a big contender as always in Majors, her three Slam singles triumphs have all come on hard courts and she is likely to have to toil on the Roland Garros clay when the level of competition steps up in the second week.

Swiatek is a tempting price at 17/5 with LiveScore Bet and there will be a lot worse punting opportunities than backing the Pole. But she has lost her mojo in recent weeks and there may be slightly better options elsewhere.

The Women’s singles event in Paris looks more open this year with four-time champion Swiatek having been struggling with her game.

Andreeva an interesting option

With Swiatek not having been on top of her game and Sabalenka also likely to have to work hard in the coming fortnight in Paris, definite chances can be given to the third and fourth favourites in the outright betting, Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva.

Gauff has won only one Grand Slam singles title — the US Open in 2023 — but rest assured that the brilliant American will win many more in her career.

But if Gauff is one of the brightest talents the sport has seen, then Andreeva is not far behind her.

Andreeva, 18, reached the Roland Garros semi-finals last year after edging past Sabalenka in a thriller. And she looks so competent, comfortable and keen to learn on clay that it would not be a surprise to see her ditch her major maiden tag on the terrain.

Her coach is former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, a Spaniard who grew up playing on clay courts and she has plenty of sound advice to offer her teenage charge from the sidelines.

Americans may have to dig deep on slow courts

Gauff, Australian Open champion Madison Keys and Emma Navarro are all housed in the fourth quarter of the draw and, while all have obvious chances to go deep, American players have not always found it easy to shine brightest on the slow clay courts.

With that in mind, it could also be worth looking for alternative betting opportunities in that quarter and in the opposite half of the draw to Gauff and Andreeva.

Prediction

It is close between Gauff and Andreeva as regards who gets the chief selection, but slight preference is for sixth seed Andreeva.

Gauff reached the finals in Madrid and Rome and she may have to play bridesmaid again in Paris.

Ekaterina Alexandrova has been producing the best tennis of her career in 2025 and the 30-year-old, title winner in Linz in February, is another lively contender who could prosper in an open-looking fourth quarter of the draw.

Meanwhile, in the top half of the bracket, where Sabalenka and Swiatek are to be found, it may be worth taking a chance on 2017 Roland Garros heroine Jelena Ostapenko.

The Latvian silenced Sabalenka in style in the Stuttgart clay final recently and Ostapenko is a match for any opponent when on top of her game.

Back Mirra Andreeva at 6/1 with LiveScore Bet.

Back Jelena Ostapenko at 40/1 each-way with LiveScore Bet.

Back Ekaterina Alexandrova at 100/1 each-way with LiveScore Bet.