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Tokyo bronze medallist Elina Svitolina will be among the top names spearheading the field at the Paris Olympics, the draw for which was announced on Thursday (July 25). In the absence of Belinda Bencic and Marketa Vondrousova, the Ukrainian is the only medal winner from three years ago.
Her pursuit to land on the podium will be riddled with obstacles. The jam-packed draw is led by World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, reigning US Open champ Coco Gauff, and a host of other medal hopefuls. Three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber will also be making her last appearance as a pro in Paris.
Besides the usual suspects, there are a handful of other names who will be keen on springing up a surprise or two at this year’s Olympics. And based on past performances and form, we have listed three dark horses to land on the podium in the women’s singles event here:
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Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Elina Svitolina
Elina Svitolina started out as a bit of a clay maverick, with Roland Garros being the first Slam where she made an impact. She made both her first and second Slam quarterfinals in Paris and has happy memories from the venue.
It was the Roland Garros again where she announced her return after maternity leave, making the last eight in 2023 with wins over the likes of seasoned claycourters Daria Kasatkina and Martina Trevisan. Her win-loss at the venue stands at 29-11, amounting to a 73% winning percentage, her best at a Grand Slam.
Svitolina’s game has evolved into a more aggressive one of late, but that does not take away from defensive prowess, consistent baseline hitting, and natural footwork on the surface. The Ukrainian has also taken immense pride in representing her country, even more so since the Russian invasion, and that should fuel her hunger even more.
Svitolina knows what it takes to succeed on a stage like the Olympics, having already won a bronze medal in Tokyo, and could well be the one to watch out for again this year.
Linda Noskova
Linda Noskova’s Australian Open upset of Iga Swiatek announced her big breakthrough, but the youngster has been on a steady graph for years now.
The Czech broke into the top 100 in 2022, made her first WTA final a year later, and will come into the Paris Olympics on a career-high of No. 26 (higher if she wins the title in Prague where she is currently in action).
And while Noskova’s 2-3 record at Roland Garros has been lackluster, she has had success at the venue in the past. She is a junior singles champion, having lifted the crown as recently as 2021 after beating fellow prodigy Erika Andreeva in the final.
Noskova can hit the ball big and with plenty of topspin, a strategy that is well-rewarded on the red dirt. She has had good practice in the lead-up with her run in Prague and will be keen to carry the momentum forward into the Olympics.
Diana Shnaider
Much like Noskova, Diana Shnaider has the game needed to win big on clay if only her results at the French Open showed for it.
Competing under the neutral flag, the youngster will be hopeful of putting on a better show than her first and second-round exits at Roland Garros in the last couple of years. She comes into the tournament on a five-match winning streak on clay, having dominated the field in Budapest to lift a third WTA title of the year.
Shnaider’s big groundstrokes can deal damage on any surface, evidenced by her having won a title on hard, clay, and grass at the young age of 20.
The only thing working against her is the lack of experience. Shnaider has not played on big courts too often. If she can get through the early rounds, it could well help calm the nerves at a massive stage like the Olympics. And when in full flight, her raw power coupled with her explosive footwork can be hard to handle for even the best.
Honourable mentions:
Former Roland Garros champ Jelena Ostapenko, the beaten finalists at the last two editions of the claycourt Slam Karolina Muchova, and an in-form Jasmine Paolini can also fly under the radar and cause trouble for the title favorites at the Paris Olympics.
