The Kazakh woman is getting her color back

On Sunday, Camila Osorio dispatched Alexandrova 6-2 6-4 in 1h53, confirming our angle exactly: Alexandrova is structurally ill-suited to clay, Osorio is in the best momentum of her season. The 24-year-old Colombian, WTA No. 80, coached by Ricardo Sánchez, strings together a tenth consecutive victory with this qualification. Three WTA titles, all in Bogotá on clay, her natural surface since forever. Her aggressive return and her ability to build rallies over the long run match perfectly with this week’s conditions in Paris.

Yulia Putintseva, 30 years old, WTA No. 46, a Kazakh based in Monaco, is one of the most experienced players on this clay. Two quarterfinals here in 2016 and 2018, a career-high ranking of No. 20 in January 2025, three WTA titles including Birmingham 2024. Her extreme defending style, her improbable lobs, her constant changes of direction and her steely mentality make her the perfect opponent to trap a very confident player who’s looking to dominate. She handled her first-round match cleanly against Gibson.