French Open predictions: Sinner’s moment, Sabalenka’s opportunity and plenty of chaos

For much of this decade, Iga Swiatek has been the default favorite at the French Open — which makes sense given that she won it in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. But times have changed in women's tennis. Swiatek not only lost her No.

1 ranking to Aryna Sabalenka over the last couple years, she's no longer dominant on clay and comes to Roland Garros having not won a title yet in 2026. So who is the favorite at the season's second Grand Slam? Though No.

1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka deserves to be the favorite for the French Open, it’s been a strange clay court season for her thus far. Practically unbeatable for the last couple years except by the very top players, she comes into Roland Garros after losses to opponents ranked outside the top-20 in Madrid and Rome, the two big clay tournaments preceding the French Open. Was Sabalenka merely leaving something in the tank for Paris, or is she suffering a slight dip in form?

If she fails to win her first French title, the tournament will be wide open, as many of the typical favorites are not playing their best tennis at the moment. She may be No. 1 in the world, but Aryna Sabalenka is still looking for her first French Open title.