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Paris 2024 women’s draw: Iga Swiatek faces tricky path, Naomi Osaka vs Angelique Kerber R1
The women’s singles draw at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has been revealed, and it may not be a smooth path Iga Swiatek has to take if she wants to take home a gold medal.
The world No 1, making her second Olympic appearance, is a heavy favourite for the title at Roland Garros, having lost just once on clay in 2024 – and winning the French Open four times in five years.
Swiatek’s early draw looks fairly safe, with an opening contest against Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu followed by a round two against Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska or French ace Dianne Parry.
However, things may get more complicated for the five-time major winner after that.
Her projected round three opponent is 15th seed Diana Shnaider, a three-time titleist on the WTA Tour this season who comes in after winning the WTA 250 in Budapest.
She could then face eighth seed Danielle Collins or 10th seed Jelena Ostapenko – who she has never beaten in four previous meetings – in the last eight.
However, potential semi-final opponent Elena Rybakina is now out of the draw due to illness, with Caroline Garcia becoming the 17th seed and moving to that spot.
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Home favourite Garcia will face Jaqueline Cristian in round one – and the winner will face either Naomi Osaka or Angelique Kerber, who contest a blockbuster clash.
Osaka and Kerber’s clash is perhaps the pick of the round one ties, with the two Grand Slam champions and former world No 1’s facing off in what is the latter’s final tournament.
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The highest player left in that second quarter is sixth seed Zheng Qinwen of China, who faces Daria Saville.
The bottom half of the draw is headlined by world No 2 and second seed Coco Gauff, who will be Team USA’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony on Friday.
Gauff has been handed a solid draw, with the American up against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in round one, before a round two contest against Maria Lourdes Carle or Tatjana Maria.
Bianca Andreescu or 13th seed Donna Vekic are potential opponents in round three, before a projected quarter-final against seventh seed Maria Sakkari; the Greek starts her campaign versus Danka Kovinic.
Also in the bottom half of the draw is Italian No 1 and fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, who is projected to face Gauff in the last four.
The French Open and Wimbledon finalist begins versus Romania’s Ana Bogdan, though could then face a tricky round two against Magda Linette or Mirra Andreeva.
Also in this quarter of the draw are fifth seed Jessica Pegula and ninth seed – and Wimbledon champion – Barbora Krejcikova, who are set for a blockbuster round three clash.
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