THE FORCES IN THE PRESENCE: WHO WILL STAND UP TO IGA SWIATEK ON CLAY?

THE FORCES IN THE PRESENCE: WHO WILL STAND UP TO IGA SWIATEK ON CLAY?

THE FORCES IN THE PRESENCE: WHO WILL STAND UP TO IGA SWIATEK ON CLAY?

Iga Swiatek heads into the clay court season with two WTA 1000 titles under her belt since the start of 2024 on hard courts. It would be safe to say that she is the overwhelming favourite for any tournament on clay, her favourite surface.

The Forces collaborators present at the National Bank Open certainly agree, because they all placed it at the top of the list.

So the real question is: which player is most likely to threaten the queen of clay?

This is the question that the Forces present are trying to answer this week.

(Parenthesis indicates change of place since�last column before Indian Wells .)

1. IGA SWIATEK (-)
WTA Ranking: 1
2024 record: 22-3
Recent results: champion at Indian Wells
Important results on clay: champion in Rome (2021, 2022) and Roland-Garros (2020, 2022, 2023)
Who can threaten a player who, at 22, already has three Roland-Garros titles?

In addition to her successes at the Porte d’Auteuil, Swiatek has been crowned champion on clay in Stuttgart (2022, 2023) and Rome (2021, 2022). Although she is formidable on all surfaces, the world number one is particularly comfortable on clay and should be considered the big favorite for any tournament she plays on the red clay.

A fourth trophy at Roland Garros would allow her to overtake Monica Seles and Serena Williams (three each) and equal Justine Henin.

– Mike

2. ELENA RYBAKINA (+1)
WTA Ranking: 4
2024 record: 22-4
Recent results: finalists in Miami
Important results on clay: champion in Rome (2023), quarter-finalist at Roland-Garros (2021)
Elena Rybakina is a formidable player, as her four finals since the beginning of the year attest. The Kazakh, who has just lost in the final match at the Miami Open, is hungry for victories. The reigning champion of the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome, is no less ferocious on clay.

Read also:The transition to clay takes a prominent place

The member of the new women’s “Big Three”, along with Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, has every chance of reaching other finals very soon. Let’s keep a close eye on her.

–Abraham

3. ARYNA SABALENKA (-1)
WTA Ranking: 2
2024 record: 14-4
Recent results: 4th round at Indian Wells
Important results on clay: champion in Madrid (2021, 2023), semi-finalist at Roland-Garros (2023)
Last year, Aryna Sabalenka came within a whisker of reaching the French Open final when she led 5-2 in the third set of her semi-final against Karolina Muchova.