World number one Sabalenka ‘loves target on back’

French Open 2025

Location: Roland Garros, May 25 – June

Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s number one, describes herself as “love” having a target on her back as the player to beat at the French Open women’s singles.

After a strong start in 2025, Sabalenka has stepped up to take control of her position.

The 27-year-old Belarusian has won two WTA 1000 titles, including three finals at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and Stuttgart.

The three-time major winner will now enter the French Open, where she will look to improve her best-ever run to the 2023 semi-finals, where she is widely considered the winner.

Iga Swiatek, who has three-time defending champion, has given Sabalenka’s hand a boost this year’s struggles on the clay.

“Every time I go outside, I think to myself, “OK, let’s go.” Who should we check out to see if they are prepared for the pressure?

It actually makes it easier for me to stay focused and fight on the court no matter what.

Mirra Andreeva, a Russian teenager, defeated Sabalenka in the quarter-finals of last year’s competition after a stomach bug prevented her.

“I’ll definitely not be going back to eat the same meal as I did before that match.” The lesson is learned, Sabolenka joked on Friday.

Kamilla Rakhimova of Russia will face Sabalenka on Sunday in her first matchup. She has won two Australian Opens and one US Open.

Swiatek, the four-time champion, has become known as the “Queen of Clay” due to her impressive record on the surface, but she has not been so low in Paris since 2021.

The 23-year-old was unhappy with her form and did not rate her chances of returning to Roland Garros after falling to Danielle Collins in the third round.

She took a week off to reflect, but it seems like she’s changed her mind.

Swiatek, who starts against Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova and could face Emma Raducanu from Britain in the second round, said, “I had a lot of time to think about how I played and what my attitude was.”

Because I don’t feel like I’m getting the match right, I focused on changing some things and putting on more intensity.