Women to watch at the French Open, where play begins Sunday:
SERENA WILLIAMS
Ranked: 1
Age: 33
Country: United States
2015 Match Record: 25-1
2015 Singles Titles: 2
Career Singles Titles: 66
Major Titles: 19 - French Open (’02, ’13), Wimbledon (’02, ’03, ’09, ’10, ’12), U.S. Open (’99, ’02, ’08, ’12, ’13, ’14), Australian Open (’03, ’05, ’07, ’09, ’10, ’15)
Last 5 French Opens: ’14-Lost in 2nd Round, ’13-Won Championship, ’12-1st Round, ’11-Did Not Play, ’10-QF
Topspin: Only Margaret Smith Court (24) and Steffi Graf (22) have won more Grand Slam singles titles. … Began season with a 24-match winning streak, which ended with a semifinal loss on clay in Madrid to two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova. … Pulled out of Rome a week later, citing a right elbow injury. … Over the past 12 months, has played in 15 tournaments, fewest of any woman ranked in the top 100. … Winning 75.1 percent of first-serve points, which leads the tour. … Older sister Venus is ranked 15th.
MARIA SHARAPOVA
Ranked: 2
Age: 28
Country: Russia
2015 Match Record: 26-5
2015 Singles Titles: 2
Career Singles Titles: 35
Major Titles: 5 - French Open (’12, ’14), Wimbledon (’04), U.S. Open (’06), Australian Open (’08)
Last 5 French Opens: ’14-W, ’13-F, ’12-W, ’11-SF, ’10-3rd
Topspin: Reached the final at Roland Garros each of the past three years, and won the trophy twice in that span. … Her 2012 title in Paris completed a career Grand Slam and was her first major championship since right shoulder surgery in 2010. … Second serve is still very much boom or bust; she ranks second on tour with 137 double-faults, but also second on second-serve points won at 51.8 percent.
SIMONA HALEP
Ranked: 3
Age: 23
Country: Romania
2015 Match Record: 29-6
2015 Singles Titles: 3
Career Singles Titles: 11
Major Titles: 0 - Best: F, at French Open (’14)
Last 5 French Opens: ’14-F, ’13-1st, ’12-1st, ’11-2nd, ’10-1st
Topspin: Leads WTA in 2015 singles titles. … After failing to make a quarterfinal in her first 14 Grand Slam tournaments, has been at least that far at four of the past five, including runner-up finish at Roland Garros a year ago. … Winning 49.9 percent of return games this year, second on tour only to 2012 French Open runner-up Sara Errani at 53.2. … Won the 2008 French Open junior title.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI
Ranked: 5
Age: 25
Country: Denmark
2015 Match Record: 23-10
2015 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 23
Major Titles: 0 - Best: F, U.S. Open (’09, ’14)
Last 5 French Opens: ’14-1st, ’13-2nd, ’12-3rd, ’11-3rd, ’10-QF
Topspin: Patient, retrieving style and ability to play lengthy matches should make her better suited to success on red clay. … Her 13 career match victories in Paris are her fewest at any of the four Grand Slam tournaments. … Has only made it to the quarterfinals once, back in 2010. … Very good friends with Serena Williams, who beat her in last year’s U.S. Open final.
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO
Ranked: 8
Age: 26
Country: Spain
2015 Match Record: 31-10
2015 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 1
Major Titles: 0 - Best: QF, French Open (’08, ’14), Australian Open (’09), U.S. Open (’13)
Last 5 French Opens: ’14-QF, ’13-4th, ’12-3rd, ’11-DNP, ’10-1st
Topspin: Enters with a career-best ranking, only third Spanish woman ever in the top 10 (along with past major champions Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Conchita Martinez). … Pushed Maria Sharapova to three sets in the Rome final on clay this month; eliminated Eugenie Bouchard, Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep en route. … Has played tour-high 21 three-set matches, winning 17.
MADISON KEYS
Ranked: 16
Age: 20
Country: United States
2015 Match Record: 13-8
2015 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 1
Major Titles: 0 - Best: SF, at Australian Open (’15)
Last 5 French Opens: ’14-1st, ’13-2nd, ’12-DNP, ’11-DNP, ’10-DNP
Topspin: At 5-foot-10 (1.78 meters), generates a lot of power on her serves and off the ground. … Defeated past major champions Venus Williams and Petra Kvitova during breakthrough run to first major semifinal in Australia in January, before losing to Serena Williams.
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