SkySports tennis commentator James Buttler takes a look at the gold medal contenders in the Women's Singles at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
After the joy of Wimbledon, Barbora Krejcikova will be back looking to try and gain more success this year. That Wimbledon title will have given her plenty of hope moving into this Olympics. She's 40/1 with LiveScore, but I'm not going to take her to lift gold this time. There is one far more obvious candidate in the women's draw.
Swiatek is hot Olympic favourite for a good reason
I didn't pick her for Wimbledon recently because she's not great on grass, but Iga Swiatek is the best player in the world. She's 4/7 to win gold at Paris 2024. It's odds on for a reason, because she rules the roost on clay. She's the best on most hard courts as well. She's simply the best player in the world. And, if she brings anything like her A game to Roland Garros, she should take the gold.
I think Swiatek is a fairly safe play, but there are a few other people that might have something to say about that.
Elena Rybakina, who got to the semi-finals at Wimbledon, is 12/1. Naomi Osaka might be worth a little bit of a nibble at 16/1. The Japanese star isn't quite as good as she was when she was world no.1, but on her day, she can beat anybody. If she gets on a roll at Roland Garros, the clay courts do suit her game.
Is it Jasmine Paolini's moment?
If I were going to oppose Iga Swiatek with anybody, it would be with Jasmine Paolini. The Italian has been fantastic. She made the French Open final this season. She made the Wimbledon final this season. She is buoyed by that success, working even harder on her game after gaining traction in the Grand Slams. This could be her time.
Paolini lost quite comfortably to Swiatek in the final at Roland Garros earlier this year, but she did push Krejcikova to three sets in her second Grand Slam final. She's 22/1 to win gold this time. It might be worth taking her each way at that price. You can get three places on that 22/1 if you shop around. If you take her each way and she makes the podium, happy days. If she takes the gold medal, even happier days.
Jelena Ostapenko is another one. She's 33/1 and might have a good run at this Olympics, but I can't see past Iga Swiatek. She'll have had some rest after going out at Wimbledon fairly early. She'll be ready for this Olympics. She's 4/7 and takes my main bet to win gold.
And a little bit of a play each way on Jasmine Paolini, the Italian at 22/1. She's got the biggest smile in the world of tennis. It will be huge if she sees gold at the end of this Olympics.
Enjoy the tennis and all of the other sports at this Olympics 2024. How can you not? It's absolutely brilliant. I'll be glued to it and I'll be cheering on Iga Swiatek and Jasmine Paolini in the women's tennis singles.
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