FRENCH OPEN ’18: Will No. 1 Halep ever win a Slam title?
PARIS (AP) Women to watch at the French Open, where play begins Sunday:
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SIMONA HALEP
Ranked: 1
Age: 26
Country: Romania
2018 Match Record: 28-6
2018 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 16
Major Titles: 0 - Best: RU, at French Open ('14, `17), Australian Open ('18)
Last 5 French Opens: `17-Runner-Up, `16-Lost in 4th Round, `15-2nd, `14-RU, `13-1st
Aces: Second on tour in match wins in 2018 (behind Petra Kvitova). ... Tweaked back in Italian Open final loss.
Topspin: Will she ever win one of these? Everyone in tennis assumes that Halep will, at long last, win a Grand Slam trophy someday. Her game is simply too good not to. But the mental barrier has been overwhelming so far, with losses in three major finals.
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GARBINE MUGURUZA
Ranked: 3
Age: 24
Country: Spain
2018 Match Record: 15-9
2018 Singles Titles: 1
Career Singles Titles: 6
Major Titles: 2 - French Open ('16), Wimbledon ('17)
Last 5 French Opens: `17-4th, `16-Won Championship, `15-QF, `14-QF, `13-2nd
Aces: Site of her first major title, beating Serena Williams in the final. ... At Wimbledon last year, beat Venus Williams in the final, becoming the first player to own a Grand Slam championship match victory over each sister.
Topspin: Her bold strokes and attitude and been-there-done-that pedigree mean Muguruza is always a contender for the title, no matter the circumstances.
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ELINA SVITOLINA
Ranked: 4
Age: 23
Country: Ukraine
2018 Match Record: 25-6
2018 Singles Titles: 3
Career Singles Titles: 12
Major Titles: 0 - Best: QF, French Open ('15, `17), Australian Open ('18)
Last 5 French Opens: `17-QF, `16-4th, `15-QF, `14-2nd, `13-2nd
Aces: Won Italian Open clay-court tuneup for second year in a row. ... French Open junior champion when she was 15.
Topspin: Might be gaining on Halep when it comes to being best player on tour without a Grand Slam title, but needs to get past the quarterfinals at a major. If she ever gets to a Slam final, look out: Career record in title matches is 12-2.
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JELENA OSTAPENKO
Ranked: 5
Age: 20 (21 on June 8)
Country: Latvia
2018 Match Record: 12-11
2018 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 2
Major Titles: 1 - French Open ('17)
Last 5 French Opens: `17-W, `16-1st, `15-Did Not Play, `14-DNP, `13-DNP
Aces: Converting 52 percent of break points this season; ranks fourth on tour this season in that category.
Topspin: Goes for everything on pretty much each shot, which leads to a ton of winners - and a ton of unforced errors. Does not show a hint of fear on court, an attitude which could serve her well in first defense of any title.
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MARIA SHARAPOVA
Ranked: 29
Age: 31
Country: Russia
2018 Match Record: 12-7
2018 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 36
Major Titles: 5 - French Open ('14, `12), Wimbledon ('04), U.S. Open ('06), Australian Open ('08)
Last 5 French Opens: `17-DNP, `16-DNP, `15-4th, `14-W, `13-RU
Aces: Finally got her first victory over a top-10 opponent this year by beating Ostapenko in Rome. ... Hit 17 aces in a match on clay this season - but also had 10 double-faults in that loss.
Topspin: First appearance in Paris since 2015, after serving drug ban in 2016 and not being given a wild card last year. About as good as it gets in the third-set crucible at Grand Slam tournaments.
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SERENA WILLIAMS
Ranked: 453
Age: 36
Country: United States
2018 Match Record: 2-2
2018 Singles Titles: 0
Career Singles Titles: 72
Major Titles: 23 - French Open ('02, `13, `15), U.S. Open ('99, `02, `08, `12, `13, `14), Wimbledon ('02, `03, `09, `10, `12, `15, `16), Australian Open ('03, `05, `07, `09, `10, `15, `17)
Last 5 French Opens: `17-DNP, `16-RU, `15-W, `14-2nd, `13-W
Aces: Has not played a Grand Slam tournament in more than a year; won the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant. ... Gave birth to first child on Sept. 1.
Topspin: No one really knows what to expect from Williams, because she has played so sparingly since returning from maternity leave. But no opponent will want to face her.
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