WTA French Open – Maria Sakkari vs Elsa Jacquemot

WTA French Open – Maria Sakkari vs Elsa Jacquemot

🧠 Form & Context

Maria Sakkari
📉 Slam curse: Has lost in the first round in 6 of her last 8 Grand Slam appearances, including at Roland-Garros in both 2023 and 2024.
📉 Freefalling: Dropped from the top 10 in late 2024 to outside the top 90; hasn’t won a Slam match since Wimbledon 2023.
💡 Madrid spark: Reached the fourth round last month—her first set of back-to-back wins in over six months.
🏛️ Paris legacy: Semifinalist at Roland-Garros in 2021, still her best Slam result.

Elsa Jacquemot
🎟️ Wildcard regular: Enters Roland-Garros as a WC for the fourth time; holds a 1–5 career Grand Slam main draw record.
📉 Stalled trajectory: Former junior RG champion who has yet to break into the WTA top 130.
🧱 Clay base: Grew up playing on clay and understands the surface, but lacks power and consistency against top-tier opponents.
🇫🇷 Home pressure: The Paris crowd could lift her level, but expectations are modest given recent form.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This is a “fragile favorite vs. local underdog” matchup. Sakkari clearly has the tools—athleticism, clay-court game, and experience—but her mental struggles at Slams have become a pattern. If she gets tight or starts poorly, Jacquemot may sense an opportunity.

Still, Jacquemot lacks the power to consistently hurt Sakkari and would need the Greek to implode to make this truly competitive. Sakkari’s heavy topspin, movement, and fitness should carry her through if she maintains focus and doesn’t dwell on past Slam failures.

🔮 Prediction

It might start with nerves, but this is one of the softest draws Sakkari could hope for at a major. Expect a slow open, then a dominant close.

Prediction: Maria Sakkari in straight sets — overcoming early tension to find her footing 🎾💪