Iga withdrew from Rome due to a problem in her left thigh but she will be at Roland Garros: the Belarusian and Rybakina can attack her throne
It seemed impossible until recently, but Paris may not only see a new queen of Roland Garros, but at the end of the tournament there could also be a new world number one. Iga Swiatek, after dominating 2022 far and wide, with two slams in his pocket and a staggering 37-game winning streak, has slowed his run this year.
In Madrid and Rome, tournaments won by tearing away her opponents in 2022, she gave way first to Sabalenka in Spain and then to Rybakina in the Forum, even if this last defeat is due more to a small injury that forced her to retire against the Kazakh and that made her tremble in view of Paris, but everything seems to have returned: Iga has arrived in France and is already training without too many problems. But what condition will she be in? Probably not optimal, while its two great rivals, precisely Sabalenka and Rybakina, are in good shape. Certainly Sabalenka, she came out immediately at the Forum but seemed more tired and more willing to save herself for the second slam of the year than a real defeat. Certainly the Belarusian and Rybakina, who has risen to number 4 in the world (but with the 2000 points from the 2022 Wimbledon victory she would be clearly third), will be the toughest opponents for Swiatek at Roland Garros, where the reigning champion is called not only defending the title but also her reign at the top of the WTA rankings, which has lasted for 60 weeks. The Pole has 8940 points, Sabalenka 7541, with Iga having 2000 points to defend, while Aryna defends only 90, due to last year’s third round defeat at the hands of our Camila Giorgi. The Polish, in order not to lose the top of the world rankings, will have to reach at least the semifinals, but only if Sabalenka does not reach the quarterfinals. Otherwise, if Sabalenka were to reach the semifinals, Iga would have to grab at least the final. In the event of a direct clash in the final act of Roland Garros, the Polish woman would then be forced to win: if Sabalenka wins the tournament, she too becomes the new world No. 1.