Tennis legend and Eurosport analyst Chris Evert on what we can expect in the women’s draw for the second major championship of 2023.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE IN PARIS?
So long as she stays fit, Iga Świątek looks like the player to beat. I like the way she is pacing herself. She didn’t play Miami, she didn’t play the Billie Jean King Cup and she has been smart about slotting rest periods into her schedule. She looks primed for the win and also, clay is her best surface! You need to have great defense and offense on clay and she is both. She runs down everything and knows the right shot to hit. The one thing she can improve on is her serve. If you are going to beat her, you must jump on her second serve.
WHO IS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO SWIATEK?
Aryna Sabalenka has established herself as No.2 in the world and she has the strength to overpower Świątek. She is also much better with her patience in the points and with herself. She has modified her serve, which was previously a hindrance to her game. She is getting more serves in and that is massive for her confidence. Elena Rybakina is another player who will be dangerous.
WHAT DOES COCO GAUFF NEED TO DO TO WIN A GRAND SLAM?
If you were to ask me when Coco was 15, after beating Venus at Wimbledon, whether she would have a major by the time she was 19, I would have said yes. I thought she would have won a major by now. She came close last year at the French, but I just think her forehand with the extreme western grip has delayed her first major. It’s held her back a little bit.
CAN THAT PROBLEM BE FIXED?
She has been on the tour for four years. She has the experience, the confidence and she can hold her nerve. She has an excellent serve and a world class backhand. Now the players are hitting to her forehand as they recognise it is her weaker side. I don’t want to say it is a problem, but I think it is a discussion she needs to have with her team.
READ MORE: Chris Evert’s predictions for the men’s draw at the French Open
WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON EMMA RADUCANU’S STORY SO FAR?
Emma has had a rough journey, but we knew that when she won the US Open and saw who she beat to get there, the pressure she was going to be under. Also, she lives in England. It’s a small country and the press is tougher on players in a small country. They are on top of them. The fact she is so beautiful and charismatic, all the (sponsorship) offers came in and you can’t say she shouldn’t have signed them. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. So, she became overwhelmed, probably lost a little perspective, maybe didn’t train as hard and felt the pressure and expectation. That is a hurricane of stuff thrown in her face.”
LISTEN: All Court Tennis Club speaks to Chris Evert
WILL SOME TIME AWAY FROM THE COURT HELP HER?
When I saw that picture of her in the hospital after her wrist operation I thought: well you need time off. Maybe this is that time off to take a deep breath, to rethink your career, think about who you want to coach you, think about what areas of your game you want to work on. Just be a little clearer about your path. Do I think she can get to No.1 in the world? Probably not. Do I think she could be top ten in the world? Yes. Let’s give her time. She won a Grand Slam title. I’m not worried about Emma.
DOES WOMEN’S TENNIS NEED GAUFF AND RADUCANU TO SHINE?
Coco is there. She has given the WTA a lot of press over the last few years, and she is a star player. Emma has had some problems since she won the US Open, but she is going to have some time away from the game now and she can think about what she wants to do next.
Overall, I’m not worried about the women’s game because there is a lot of talent out there right now: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Świątek, Paulo Badosa, Ons Jabeur. They all have their own stories and are doing a great job at promoting the women’s game.
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