Iga Swiatek storms to gold as Coco Gauff stars – our Olympic women’s tennis predictions
Anticipation is hotting up ahead of Paris 2024, with tennis among the first events to get underway.
Olympic action at Roland Garros begins on Saturday, with the women’s singles and doubles among the first competitions to take to court.
Ahead of what looks set to be a fascinating competition, we make some big predictions.
Swiatek storms to singles gold
Across the entirety of the Olympic programme, you will find few heavier favourites for gold than Iga Swiatek.
The Pole lost just one match on clay earlier this season and has won the French Open on-site the last three years – and four times in the last five editions.
The world No 1 suffered a surprise early loss at Wimbledon but that may ironically work to her advantage, giving her more time to rest after a busy first half of 2024 – and more time to prepare for a return to clay.
Swiatek is a huge favourite in any match she plays on this surface, and we can’t see who can stop her from storming to a first Olympic title in Paris.
Olympic Games News
Olympic Games: 7 iconic tennis flagbearers – as Coco Gauff handed ultimate honour
Coco Gauff determined to uphold ‘friend and mentor’ Serena Williams’ legacy at Olympics
Gauff to medal
Few women will be as busy as Coco Gauff at Roland Garros, with the American competing in three events in the tennis programme.
Alongside being seeded second in the women’s singles draw, she will be the top seed with Jessica Pegula in the women’s doubles, and third seed partnered with Taylor Fritz in the mixed event.
Now confirmed as the Team USA female flagbearer at the opening ceremony on Friday, the 20-year-old is one of the American faces of the game.
And with her ability to turn up at the big events – and being a reigning singles and doubles major champion – she could be primed for a stunning week.
We expect her to pick up at least one medal this year.
Surprise star
If Wimbledon taught us anything, it is that women’s tennis is still hugely unpredictable to quite a significant extent.
No one would have predicted Barbora Krejcikova or Jasmine Paolini to reach the final, or for Donna Vekic to reach the semi-final; all three will be seeded in the singles draw.
Coupled with Paolini’s run to the Roland Garros final and Zheng Qinwen being a surprise Australian Open finalist, it is clear that shocks are more than possible.
Based on how things have panned out at the biggest events, we’re expecting at least one singles medallist from outside the top eight seeds – and potentially someone unseeded to come through and take home silverware.
Monica Puig was a surprise champion in Rio and Marketa Vondrousova shocked the tennis world with her run to Tokyo silver – will someone follow in their footsteps?
