Laura Robson was today paired with former world No1 Caroline Wozniacki in the first round at Roland Garros.
At first glance, the draw suggests it could be curtains for the British No1 at the first time of asking but Wozniacki is in the middle of a horror run of form.
The girlfriend of golfer Rory McIlroy has lost three successive first-round matches on tour and is a shadow of the player who moved to the top of the rankings.
She has slipped down to No10 and is seeded 10th for the tournament, which starts on Sunday.
Robson has risen to world No35 and will go into their clash believing she can add Wozniacki to the big-name scalps that she has already collected from previous Slams, including Petra Kvitova, Kim Clijsters and Li Na.
The former Wimbledon junior champion won silver in the mixed doubles with Andy Murray at last year’s London Olympics and is making a real impact on the women’s tour along with fellow Brit Heather Watson, who has just recovered from glandular fever.
Watson will play Switzerland’s Stefanie Voegele in the first round while Elena Baltacha faces New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic.
But world No1 Serena Williams is the player everyone will expect to claim a second French title.
At 31, she is eclipsing everyone else in the game, including elder sister Venus who is battling long-term illness issues. Williams has won her last four tournaments at Miami, Charleston, Madrid and Rome — the last three coming on clay — and is clearly the best player on tour.
In her 22 matches, the American, who faces Georgia’s Anna Tatishvili in the first round, has lost just four sets which is the best unbeaten streak of her career.
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