Andy Roddick backs Iga Swiatek to win the 2026 French Open
The women’s side of the draw at Roland-Garros is wide open this year, with several of the top names coming in off uneven clay seasons.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka, runner-up in Paris a year ago, hasn’t gone beyond the quarterfinals in either of this season’s major clay events in Madrid and Rome.
Coco Gauff, who beat Sabalenka at Roland-Garros last year, has also had a mixed lead-up. She went out early in Stuttgart and Madrid but did make it to the final in Rome, showing some improvement heading into Paris.
Meanwhile, four-time champion Iga Swiatek remains a constant threat on clay. Speaking on Roddick, Andy Roddick didn’t hesitate when asked who he thought would win the women’s singles title.
Andy Roddick backs Iga Swiatek to win her fifth French Open title
During an episode of ‘Served‘, Roddick shared his prediction for how the tournament would play out. “Iga is my champion. I have Coco vs Iga in the final, and I’m taking Iga,” he said.
She reached the semifinals last year before being knocked out by Aryna Sabalenka, but this time around she appears to have a more manageable path.
The world number one won’t face either Sabalenka or Coco Gauff until the final if they all make it that far.
This year’s draw also puts her on a potential semi-final collision course with Elena Rybakina, who will be aiming to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles following her recent success at the Australian Open.
Iga Swiatek’s first French Open opponent revealed
Swiatek’s 2026 French Open campaign will start with a first-time meeting against Australia’s Emerson Jones, who is still building her experience at this level.
If she moves through that opener, she’ll face either Sara Bejlek from the Czech Republic or someone coming through the qualifiers.
Swiatek’s last Roland Garros title came back in 2024, which capped off a run of three straight championships.
In the Open Era, only Steffi Graf and Chris Evert have more French Open titles than Swiatek. She sits on four, level with Justine Henin.
Read more:
