The women’s draw has opened up for one player. That player’s name is Iga Swiatek, the 2020 French Open defending champion. She’s cruising through the draw with the same tenacity as last year, and it will be difficult to see how anyone can stop her. With no top players left in the draw, the only player I see with the firepower to stop her is Gauff. Even that will be a long shot though. Let’s look at the decimated women’s draw and the quarterfinal matchups.

Zidansek vs. Badosa (33)

An excellent run by Zidansek during this fortnight. Unfortunately for her, she will run into a player that is on a hot streak, coming off a win at the Serbian Open and a semifinal appearance at the Madrid Open. This should be an entertaining match nonetheless, with Badosa coming on top and very likely meeting Swiatek in the French Open finals. Badosa wins in two sets.

Rybakina (21) vs. Pavlyuchenkova (31)

It’s been a while since Pavlyuchenkova found herself in a French Open Quarterfinal. It’s been exactly 10 years. At 29 years of age, this former top 20 player is winning a lot of matches. She’ll need all that game if she’s to beat the young six-foot Kazak in this matchup. Rybakina will come out swinging, just like she did against Serena. It will be tough for Pavlyuchenkova to withstand. Rybakina wins in straight sets.

Sakkari (17) vs. Swiatek (8)

There’s nothing to say here other than Swiatek puts on a tennis clinic for about an hour. This one will be over quickly. Swiatek has too much game for Sakkari. Swiatek wins in two.

Gauff (24) vs. Krejcikova

Gauff has an excellent opportunity to make her first Grand Slam semifinals appearance. She’ll be a bit nervous against the 25-year-old Czech. If Gauff can play freely, and hold her nerves, she can breeze through Czech. Gauff will win in straight sets.

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