4. (12) Linda Noskova vs Maria Sakkari
Coming off quarterfinal runs in Stuttgart and Madrid and sitting at a career high of No. 12 in the world, Linda Noskova is in excellent form heading into Roland Garros. But Noskova has never been past the second round of this tournament, and her first-round opponent Maria Sakkari is a former semifinalist and has much more experience on the biggest stages. Sakkari’s clay results haven’t been up to her best standard this year, but she proved with her run to the Doha semifinals earlier this year that she is still capable of her best tennis, and she can certainly challenge Noskova here.
5. (26) Hailey Baptiste vs Barbora Krejcikova
One of the biggest breakout stars of the 2026 clay season was Hailey Baptiste. Her semifinal run in Madrid included a monumental defeat of World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, and in Rome she lost to eventual champion Elina Svitolina. She’s been in excellent form and would be the favorite against most players right now, but in the first round she’s been drawn against former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova. Krejcikova has been out with injury for most of the season, but last week she made a run to the final of a WTA 125, and a healthy Krejcikova can beat anyone, especially on clay. Baptiste is the favorite by seeding, but when at her best Krejcikova is one of the best players in the world.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
