New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) The main-draw entry list for this year’s French Open has been unveiled, featuring an almost complete field of the world’s top-ranked players, with 100 of the top 101 in the WTA rankings confirming participation in the clay-court major.

Defending champion Coco Gauff returns to Paris after securing her second Grand Slam title at the venue last year. She is joined by former champions Jelena Ostapenko, Iga Swiatek, and Barbora Krejcikova, making it a strong line-up of past winners.

Swiatek, a four-time champion in Paris, will be aiming to further cement her legacy by targeting a fifth title — a feat achieved in the Open Era only by legends Chris Evert and Stefanie Graf.

Several Grand Slam winners are also in contention for their maiden Roland Garros crown, including World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina, along with Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, Emma Raducanu, Marketa Vondrousova, and Sofia Kenin. Among them, Sabalenka, Vondrousova, and Kenin have previously reached the final in Paris.

Also in the mix are recent finalists such as Karolina Muchova and Jasmine Paolini, who will be aiming to go one step further this year. They are joined by other Grand Slam finalists, including Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova, Leylah Fernandez, and Zheng Qinwen.

The depth of the field is further highlighted by the presence of top contenders such as Elina Svitolina, Mirra Andreeva, Belinda Bencic, and Elise Mertens among the top-ranked entrants.

Among the younger names, 18-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger headlines the teenage entrants, earning direct entry into the main draw after her recent rise into the top 100. Her inclusion marks a notable milestone, becoming the first girls’ singles champion at Roland Garros to receive a direct main-draw entry the following year since Fernandez.

Ukraine’s Daria Snigur, ranked No. 101, is the final direct entrant and is set to complete appearances across all four Grand Slams. The only notable absentee from the top 101 is France’s Varvara Gracheva, who remains sidelined due to a leg injury.

Several players have also entered using protected rankings, including Anhelina Kalinina, Jil Teichmann, Sara Sorribes Tormo, and Danka Kovinic.

The 128-player main draw will be finalised with the addition of eight wild cards and 16 qualifiers, completing a highly competitive field for the season’s second Grand Slam.

–IANS

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