WTA Power Rankings: Challengers Aiming to…

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For the first time in a long time, the question heading into Roland-Garros is not Iga Swiatek or the field. In fact, Swiatek is not even the favourite (at least according to us) at the major she has won four of the last five years including three straight.

So if not Swiatek, then who?

But also.... why not Iga?

With intrigue swirling around the second Grand Slam event of 2025, the National Bank Open Power Rankings are back to examine of the most interesting field in Paris in years.

(Brackets indicate change in position since the last edition of the Power Rankings from the start of the clay season.)

1) Aryna Sabalenka (-)

Actual Ranking: 1
2025 record: 34-6
Notable Recent Results: Madrid Champion
Best Roland-Garros Result: Semifinal (2023)

It may be an obvious statement given her ranking, but Aryna Sabalenka is the best female tennis player on planet earth right now, regardless of the surface. Period.

Madrid may not be the best indicator of Roland-Garros success given the altitude and speed of the court, but the way Sabalenka tore that draw apart shows just how comfortable she is right now on the dirt. Other than a sluggish February, the world No. 1 has come to play at every big event, reaching the final at three of the last four WTA 1000 events, winning two.

Sabalenka also reached the final at two of her three clay-court tournaments this spring. This may be her best chance to claim her first major off of hard court.

- Pete

2) Coco Gauff (+1)

Actual Ranking: 2
2025 Record: 24-8
Notable Recent Result: Rome and Madrid Runner-Up
Best Roland-Garros Result: Runner-Up (2022)

Gauff was so close – yet so far – from hoisting her first-career big clay title. The 21-year-old made the final in both Madrid and Rome, her best result at each tournament. Unfortunately for Gauff, she couldn’t get the better of world No. 1 Sabalenka or crowd-favourite Jasmine Paolini, losing in straight sets on both occasions.

However, it’s impossible to ignore her results on the dirt in recent years. Gauff has made at least the semifinal in her last four big clay appearances. At Roland-Garros alone, the American No. 1 has made at least the quarter-final four straight times as she looks to turn consistency into triumph this year.

- Francesco

3) Jasmine Paolini (+2)

Actual Ranking: 4
2025 Record: 22-8
Notable Recent Result: Rome Champion
Best Roland-Garros Result: Runner-Up (2024)

After reaching her maiden Grand Slam final last year at Roland-Garros, Paolini had some impressive performances on her return to the clay. The 29-year-old earned her first-career WTA clay court title, powered by a passionate home crowd in Rome.

The Italian No. 1 beat world No. 2 Gauff in straight sets in that Italian Open final, a month after defeating the American in two sets on the dirt in Stuttgart. Paolini’s only concern was in Madrid, winning just three games in her round of 32 loss to Maria Sakkari.

- Francesco

4) Iga Swiatek (-2)

Actual Ranking: 5
2025 record: 27-9
Notable Recent Results: Madrid SF
Best Roland-Garros Result: Champion (Four times)

The Queen of Clay is in the midst of her longest dry spell since winning her first title, which was at Roland-Garros, in October 2020. While she has been very consistent in the big events, reaching the quarters or better at every WTA 1000 except for Rome this year, she has not reached a final at any level since lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen last June. Her losses to Gauff and Danielle Collins in Madrid and Rome were both concerning straight-set defeats.

That said, Swiatek has been able to turn things around at Roland-Garros before. In two of her four title runs, she arrived in Paris without having won one of Rome or Madrid in the lead-up. Like Rafael Nadal before her, the Pole is a different beast on Court Philippe Chatrier. Her aura alone could carry her a long way.

- Pete

5) Mirra Andreeva (-1)

Actual Ranking: 6
2025 Record: 27-7
Notable Recent Result: Rome and Madrid QF
Best Roland-Garros Result: Semifinal (2024)

At just 18 years old, experience is far from in question when it comes to Andreeva. After back-to-back WTA 1000 wins to start the year, the world No. 6 is back on the surface where she made her mark in 2024.

This year in Madrid, Andreeva’s run ended in the quarter-finals against Gauff. Then it was deja vu in Rome, losing to the American in the quarter-final again. Nevertheless, both results were her best at a WTA 1000 clay event as she continues to look impressive on clay. That’s not what her opponents will want to hear, considering Andreeva made the Roland-Garros semifinal a year ago.

- Francesco

6) Qinwen Zheng (+2)

Actual Ranking: 8
2025 record: 13-8
Notable Recent Results: Rome SF
Best Roland-Garros Result: Fourth Round (2022)

Zheng made a statement earlier this month with her semifinal run in Rome, taking out world No. 1 Sabalenka in straight sets in the quarter-finals. She very nearly made the final, barely being edged out by Gauff in the semis.

For the most part, Zheng has been pretty consistent recently, reaching at least the quarter-finals at three of the last four WTA 1000 events. She also has a good record on clay, with three of her five career titles coming on the surface.

It is worth mentioning that the biggest match win and tournament victory of Zheng’s career came at Stade Roland-Garros, just not during the French Open. Last July, she defeated Swiatek in the semis on her way to an Olympic gold medal on the dirt in Paris. She will have plenty of positivity to draw on during the upcoming fortnight at the same venue.

- Pete

7) Jessica Pegula (-1)

Actual Ranking: 3
2025 record: 28-9
Notable Recent Results: Charleston Champion
Best Roland-Garros Result: Quarter-Final (2022)

Pegula’s sheer consistency has earned her a Top 4 seed heading into the second major of the year. While she has not had any flashy results on the European dirt, she was red hot at the end of March and in early April, reaching the Miami final and then kicking off her clay season with a title at home in Charleston.

The European clay was not so kind to the world No. 3, but she has been able to pick up match wins in every event she has played in the leadup to Roland-Garros. She missed last year’s French Open with an injury but is only a couple of years removed from a quarter-final run, her best result in Paris.

- Pete

8) Elina Svitolina (New)

Actual Ranking: 13
2025 Record: 25-8
Notable Recent Results: Madrid Semifinal, Rouen Champion
Best Roland-Garros Result: Quarter-Final (four times)

Svitolina is the lowest-ranked player on this list, but she has every reason to be in this spot. The world No. 13 only dropped two sets in her last 14 matches on the dirt, her biggest win coming against Elena Rybakina en route to a semifinal in Madrid.

The 30-year-old’s result in the Spanish capital was her best big clay result since she won the Italian Open back in 2018. After a quarter-final in Rome this year and a win in Rouen, Svitolina’s back at her best on the clay as she looks to break her Roland-Garros quarter-final curse.

- Francesco

9) Madison Keys (-2)

Actual Ranking: 7
2025 record: 24-6
Notable Recent Results: Madrid QF
Best Roland-Garros Result: Semifinal (2018)

There is only ever one player heading into Roland-Garros with a chance to complete the calendar-year Grand Slam. This year, it’s Madison Keys.

The Australian Open champion has cooled off a bit since her incredible start to the season but has still had some strong performances. Her best result recently came in Madrid, where she reached the quarter-finals and pushed Swiatek to three sets.

It has been a while since Keys went on a deep run at Roland-Garros, but she is no stranger to the late rounds. She reached the semis and quarters in back-to-back years back in 2018 and 2019.

- Pete

10) Diana Shnaider (New)

Actual Ranking: 11
2025 Record: 22-6
Notable Recent Result: Rome Quarter-Final
Best Roland-Garros Result: 2R (2023)

Big clay events may not have treated Shnaider too kindly in the past, but the 21-year-old looks to have cracked the code. Shnaider earned her best big clay result, losing in the round of 16 in Madrid to former clay triple crown winner Swiatek.

The world No. 11 improved on that result by one round in Rome but lost to eventual-winner Paolini. On both occasions, Shnaider forced a third set which proves she can hold her own against the tour’s best on the clay.

- Francesco

The National Bank Open Power Rankings are a group collaboration by the Power Rankings Panel which includes:

Pete Borkowski – Manager of Editorial and Player Coverage, Tennis Canada
Melissa Boyd – Content Writer, Tennis Canada
Sarah-Jade Champagne – Content Specialist, Tennis Canada
Jonathan Chan - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada
Edward Lee – Content Contributor, Tennis Canada
Hugues Leger – Producer, Podcast Sur La Ligne
Charlotte Robillard-Millette – Communications Coordinator, Tennis Canada
Abraham Santerre – Content Creator, Podcast Sur La Ligne
Patrick Steski - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada
Francesco Tosini - Content Writer, Tennis Canada
Ravi Ubha - Content Contributor, Tennis Canada

2025 Roland-Garros Predictions:

Champion:

Pete: Coco Gauff
Mel: Aryna Sabalenka
Sarah-Jade: Jasmine Paolini
Jonathan: Aryna Sabalenka
Eddie: Aryna Sabalenka
Hugues: Mirra Andreeva
Pat: Coco Gauff
Francesco: Coco Gauff
Ravi: Aryna Sabalenka

Dark Horse:

Pete: Marta Kostyuk
Mel: Naomi Osaka
Sarah-Jade: Karolina Muchova
Jonathan: Amanda Anisimova
Eddie: Jelena Ostapenko
Pat: Marta Kostyuk
Ravi: Clara Tauson

Bold Prediction:

Pete: A teenager that isn’t Mirra Andreeva will reach the quarter-finals.
Mel: Elina Svitolina will reach at least the semifinals
Sarah-Jade: Paolini will beat Swiatek in rematch of the 2024 Roland-Garros Final.
Jonathan: Paula Badosa returns from injury on fire and reaches the semis.
Eddie: Sabalenka and Gauff produce an all-time classic final.
Hugues: Two Canadian women reach the second week
Pat: Emma Raducanu will reach her second Grand Slam quarter-final.
Francesco: Naomi Osaka makes the quarter-final, posting her best result at Roland-Garros.
Ravi: French wildcard Lois Boisson, ranked 358th, makes a splash.

The WTA's best return to Montreal this summer for the National Bank Open July 26 to Aug. 7, 2025 at IGA Stadium. 2025 Tickets are on sale. Get your tickets today!

Feature Photo : Martin Sidorjak