Reliving the moment of Iga Swiatek's first top 10 win when she outplayed top seed Simona Halep at 2020 French Open at 19 years of age.
Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki unlikely to receive wildcards for French Open Roland Garros and here's why
Tennis ColumnThursday, 18 April 2024 at 10:29
As the next ranking major approaches, Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki have both received wildcards for upcoming tournaments including Madrid. But that situation is far from clear cut when it comes to other tournaments including Roland Garros as evidence previously shows.
Halep is more likely out of the two to receive one given that she is a former champion back in 2018. But the question that surrounds the former World No.1 is her doping ban. When Maria Sharapova returned to the sport, Roland Garros famously declined to give the Russian a wildcard. Despite protesting her innocence, Halep did technically serve a ban for Roxudustat so could yet be snubbed by the FFT. The bearing will be on Amelie Mauresmo in particular to decide in the coming weeks.
But unlike other Grand Slam tournaments, Roland Garros are less likely to give wildcards out with the home hopes instead preferred. Last year, Clara Burel just missed out with Leolia Jeanjean, Kristina Mladenovic and Diane Parry among the recipients. But interestingly this year, Parry and Burel in particular are at career highs well inside the top 50 so won't need a wildcard to get into the tournament. This could yet open it up for Halep to get through the back door.
Raducanu out of reckoning as fifth alternate, protected ranking set to run out and Wozniacki's 2023 decisions returning to haunt
Emma Raducanu for instance will not get a wildcard though and will have to go through qualifying or hope that five players withdraw. She will of course get plenty ahead of Wimbledon and even the US Open given she is a former champion. But Caroline Wozniacki like Raducanu may have to play qualifying if she decides to head to Paris. Other returnees including Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka receive protected rankings.
But interestingly for them in the future, their protected rankings run out very soon albeit Osaka in particular will likely qualify by right by the time Wimbledon and US Open roll around. This though might in turn add to the wildcard fight. Wozniacki played Charleston and has been aiming to play more tournaments likely in an attempt to get into the Roland Garros main draw. But she has failed to do so currently sitting at World No.126. So barring a miracle wildcard, it will be qualifying or bust for the Dane.
Caroline Wozniacki may have to play qualifying or sit out French Open entirely as wildcard unlikely.
She may decide to skip Roland Garros though with an eye in particular to playing the Olympic Games and getting into a qualifying position for the second Paris clay court tournament of the season. It seems though that Wozniacki snubbing tournaments in the back end of 2023 will come back to potentially remove her from the reckoning when it comes to Roland Garros. Halep remains an unknown and likely will be a moral decision by the FFT depending on the amount of French stars need wildcards. An interesting few weeks await for the two players who had their infamous war of words about the very topic in Miami.
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