Former champion Simona Halep arrives at the rescheduled French Open as the player to beat in a women’s draw missing title holder Ashleigh Barty and recent US Open winner Naomi Osaka, two of the world’s top three.
Serena Williams can never be discounted as she launches another bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles crown, but Roland Garros is the American’s least successful major despite her wins in 2002, 2013 and 2015.
Garbine Muguruza, who defeated Williams in the 2016 final, is another contender while fellow former world number one Victoria Azarenka is hoping to take the momentum from her run to the US Open final into the clay swing.
Last year’s runner-up Marketa Vondrousova will again target a deep run in Paris having rediscovered some form at last week’s Italian Open, where she made the semi-finals before losing to compatriot Karolina Pliskova.
The…