Women to watch at the French Open

HOW THE LEADING WOMEN SHAPE UP FOR THE 2017 FRENCH OPEN

ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER)

Age: 29

Ranking: 1

Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US19,995,669 ($A27 million)

Career titles: 10

Grand slam titles: 2 (Australian Open 2016; US Open 2016)

French Open win-loss record: 13-9

Best French Open result: quarter-finalist 2012

The world No.1 has yet to really fire in Paris but with a raft of top-flight players absent will never get a better chance to parlay her top billing into a title.

KAROLINA PLISKOVA (CZE)

Age: 25

Ranking: 3

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US8,284,333 ($A11 million)

Career titles: 8

Grand slam titles: 0

French Open win-loss record: 5-4

Best French Open results: third round 2015, 2016

The Czech doesn’t get the same value on her booming serve on the clay but the 2016 US Open runner-up will be seeded to make her second grand slam final.

SIMONA HALEP (ROM)

Age: 25

Ranking: 4

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US17,219,301 ($A23 million)

Career titles: 15

Grand slam titles: 0

French Open win-loss record: 11-7

Best French Open result: finalist 2014

Darren Cahill’s charge has been knocking on the door for the past four years and arrives as favourite to break through after an impressive build-up but an ankle injury has her in some doubt.

GARBINE MUGURUZA (ESP)

Age: 23

Ranking: 5

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US10,856,517 ($A15 million)

Career titles: 3

Grand slam titles: 1 (French Open 2016)

French Open win-loss record: 16-3

Best French Open result: champion 2016

The titleholder has struggled to recapture the sparkling form that earned her grand slam spoils 12 months ago but can’t be dismissed in a depleted draw.

ELINA SVITOLINA (UKR)

Age: 22

Ranking: 6

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US5,553,590 ($A7.4 million)

Career titles: 8

Grand slam titles: 0

French Open win-loss record: 9-4

Best French Open result: quarter-finalist 2015

The former Roland Garros junior champion is many a good judge’s pick to claim her maiden grand slam crown on easily her most preferred surface.

BEST OUTSIDE HOPE

KRISTINA MLADENOVIC (FRA)

Age: 24

Ranking: 14

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US6,156,328 ($A8.2 million)

Career titles: 1

Grand slam titles: 0

French Open win-loss record: 7-8

Best French Open results: third round 2014, 2015, 2016

Another former junior winner hitting her straps and capable of surprising with so many big guns including Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka missing.

BEST AUSTRALIAN HOPES

SAMANTHA STOSUR

Age: 33

Ranking: 24

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US16,759,792 ($A22 million)

Career titles: 8

Grand slam titles: 1 (US Open 2011)

French Open win-loss record: 34-13

Best French Open result: finalist 2010

A four-time semi-finalist and one-time runner-up, the veteran claycourter will fancy her chances of another big showing after charging to the last four in Strasbourg.

DARIA GAVRILOVA

Age: 23

Ranking: 25

Plays: right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Career prize money: $US2,064,642 ($A2.8 million)

Career titles: 0

Grand slam titles: 0

French Open win-loss record: 1-2

Best French Open result: second round 2015

Seeded for the first time after a storming run to the quarter-finals in Rome and continued her hot form to also make the semis in Strasbourg. Capable of taking down anyone on her day.

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