2008 French Open – Women's Singles 2008 French Open – Women's Singles Justine Henin was the three-time defending champion, but she retired from the sport on May 14, 2008. Her retirement left Serena Williams as the only former French Open champion remaining in the women's draw. Williams was defeated in the third round by Katarina Srebotnik, meaning that there would be a first-time French Open champion in 2008. Ana Ivanovic, the runner-up to Henin in 2007, won her first and only Grand Slam singles title, beating first-time finalist Dinara Safina, 6–4, 6–3 in the final. Ivanovic became the new WTA No. 1 singles ranking by reaching
1989 French Open – Women's Singles was the first French Open since 1978 where neither Martina Navratilova nor Chris Evert participated. 1989 French Open – Women's Singles Steffi Graf was the two-time defending champion, but lost in the final to 17-year-old Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, 7–6, 3–6, 7–5, ending her winning streak of Grand Slam singles titles at five. Graf served for the championship at 5–3 in the third set, but lost the game at love and won only three more points in the match from that point. It was the first of Sánchez Vicario's three French Open titles, which she also won in 1994 and 1998.