There may be a sense of inevitability as far as which man will emerge as the Roland Garros Champion, but the women's field could not be more wide open.  There are still a few weeks to go as players look to sharpen their games and master their movement on the clay, and there are definitely a few worth keeping an eye on as Paris grows nearer.

One of the most obvious among that group is Simona Halep.  The Romanian is presently ranked Number 1 in the world, and she is no stranger to success on the dirt.  She comes into Madrid next week looking to make it three consecutive titles in the Spanish capital, has been to the finals of Rome, and she has twice been a finalist at Roland Garros, including last year.  Her 2018 has been more than solid as well, thanks in no small part to her appearance in the Australian Open Final. 

Yet it is her loss in that final – the most brutal of her major final losses – that makes watching her so intriguing in the weeks to come.  If there is any residual sting from that loss, it will be apparent in Paris.  The best way to help banish those ghosts and put herself in the best position to try in Paris to win her maiden slam is to back up what she did last season by posting good showings in Madrid and Rome.

Another woman looking to continue finding another form of redemption is Angelique Kerber.  By her own admission, the German was happy to see the backside of 2017, a season that was a dismal disappointment following her stellar 2016.  She has had a very solid few months in 2018, however, and despite her clay-court campaign getting off to a rocky start following an injury withdrawal in Stuttgart, there is still reason to feel optimistic she can continue her upward trend through Paris.  She has twice reigned supreme in Stuttgart, so she knows what it takes to win on clay.  Her exceptional defensive skills combined with her shot-tolerance are attributes that should serve her well this time of year, and the experience of winning two majors brings a level of confidence and belief that can be called upon at any time. Much will depend on how well she has or will recover from the injury that knocked her out of Stuttgart, but if she is back to or near full strength, there is no reason why she cannot be a serious threat throughout the weeks to come.

One other woman, who arguably somewhat surprisingly deserves some attention, is Karolina Pliskova.  Despite being a former Number 1 and US Open Finalist, the Czech generally seems to always be flying under the radar.  That is perhaps due in part to her nature on the court, where she shows very little emotion.  One never knows the scoreline or even the result of the last point based on her lack of emotions, but that does not mean that her game itself lacks for excitement.  On the contrary, she possesses one of the biggest serves in women's tennis, which pays dividends on any surface.  She also is able to produce easy power from both wings and boasts some undervalued variety in game, including the ability to hit drop-shots from either side and employ some nifty hand skills in the forecourt.  Yes, her movement – something that is considered so key on clay – is the most glaring weakness in her game.  That said, she anticipates well, and as Maria Sharapova herself twice proved in Paris, if you can control most of the rallies and thereby limit the liability of poor movement, you can go all the way in the French capital.  Pliskova managed to do that in Stuttgart, and if she can produce similar results in Madrid or Rome, why not also in Paris?

For sure, the next couple of weeks are going to prove crucial in determining which women will be able to separate themselves from the pack before heading to Roland Garros.  There are going to be plenty of interesting stories and names to follow, but these are three of the women who already warrant special attention.  It is up to them to back it up by proving their mettle and putting themselves in prime position come Paris.