Field Open, Thanks to Swiatek's Slump

With 'Queen of Clay' struggling, there could be a new French Open champion

- 

PARIS - The French Open women's tournament gets under way on May 25 without a clear favourite for the first time in several years, with a clutch of players in strong form and Iga Swiatek enduring an unprecedented slump.

Jasmine Paolini became the eighth different player to reach a WTA 1000 final this season at the Italian Open, where she defeated Coco Gauff on May 17 to clinch the biggest title of her career.

Aryna Sabalenka has solidified her position as world No. 1 while Swiatek, winner of four Roland Garros titles in the last five years, has failed to reach any Tour-level final since lifting her third successive French Open almost 12 months ago.

Sabalenka, 27, briefly dropped off from her best form after a surprise Australian Open final loss to Madison Keys, before bouncing back with the Miami and Madrid Open titles.

"I got really hungry and angry — angry in a good way and I think at the end, the Australian Open final pushed me to work even harder," she told the WTA.