French Open 2021: Women’s stats preview; Swiatek has her task cut out

But Swiatek’s task is easier said than done as she faces stiff competition from WTA world No.1 and 2019 champion Ashleigh Barty, who returns to the Paris clay following a 13-month COVID-19 pandemic-enforced break.

Swiatek claimed her maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros last year and takes on her close friend Kaja Juvan in the first round.

Serena Williams comes up against Irina-Camelia Begu, while last year’s runner-up Sofia Kenin must do battle with the 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko in a standout first-round match.

French Open 2021: Men’s stats preview: Nadal eys record 14th title

As the clay-court Grand Slam returns to the tradtitional late Parisian spring, with OPTA inputs myKhel.com gives you a statistical insight of the women’s draw.

#Swiatek could be the first woman to win consecutive titles at Roland-Garros since Justine Henin in 2005-2007 (three in a row).

#Only three players have won multiple titles in the women’s tournament at the French Open in the 21st century: Henin (4), Serena Williams (3) and Maria Sharapova (2).

#Serena’s next Grand Slam victory will be her 24th, equalling Margaret Court for the most of all-time in women’s tennis.

#Mary Pierce is the only French player to win the women’s title at Roland-Garros in the Open Era.

#Barty won Roland-Garros 2019 and did not compete last season, after having won only two matches in her previous seven games at the French Open.

#No player has won more games on clay this season than Ashleigh Barty and Veronika Kudermetova (both 13).

#Aryna Sabalenka could be only the third woman to win WTA Tournament in Madrid and the French Open in the same season after Serena in 2013 and Sharapova in 2014.

#Simona Halep has played three French Open finals: since 2000, only Serena and Henin (both four) have managed to reach more.

#Sofia Kenin could be only the fourth American player to reach back-to-back Roland-Garros final, after Serena (2015-16), Martina Navratilova (1984-1987) and Chris Evert (1973-1975, 1979-80 and 1983-1986).

#Petra Kvitova was the player with the most aces made at the Roland-Garros 2020 (26), while Cori Gauff made 31 double faults, more than any other players in this tournament.