File photo of Coco Gauff
Paris, France: Reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff could face Aryna Sabalenka in a repeat of the 2025 final in the last four this year, after the pair were placed in the same half of the women's draw on Thursday.
American fourth seed Gauff, who beat world number one Sabalenka in a tense final 12 months ago, will start her title defence against compatriot Taylor Townsend.
Sabalenka, who has never won the Roland Garros title, could face several tricky matches during the tournament, which gets under way on Sunday.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka is a potential last-16 opponent for Sabalenka, although the Japanese star has never previously reached the second week in Paris.
Rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko or fifth seed Jessica Pegula could await the Belarusian in the quarters.
Sabalenka will take on Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain in the first round.
Gauff may need to get past fellow American Amanda Anisimova, who lost the Wimbledon and US Open finals last year, in the last eight.
Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek, seeded third, could meet Italian Open winner Elina Svitolina in the quarters.
Second seed Elena Rybakina, who won the year's opening Grand Slam event at the Australian Open, is slated to meet Swiatek in the semi-finals.
There is a possible all-Southeast Asian clash in the second round between Indonesia's Janice Tjen and the Philippines' Alexandra Eala.
