IT might come as a surprise to some people but Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are not the only two women in the draw at the French Open this fortnight.

The big two deserve their status as favourites; Williams is the undisputed No 1, while Sharapova has won the title twice in the past three years.

But the depth of quality on the women's Tour these days has improved so much that up to eight players will give themselves a chance of capitalising on any slip-up from the top two.

In-form Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro, former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka and former champions Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ana Ivanovic are all capable of a big run.

But it is the form and class of Simona Halep and Petra Kvitova in particular that will have Williams and Sharapova if not quite quaking in their boots, then taking nothing for granted.

Halep, after all, reached the final here last year, has won all 11 of her titles in the past two years, while two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova won in Madrid this month and is back on form after a self- imposed two-month break.

At 4-4 in the deciding set in last year's final, Halep was two games away from a first Grand Slam title, only for Sharapova to pull away.

The Romanian reached the semi- finals in Rome this month and said the experience of last year could only help her if she gets close again.

"Last year is last year," she said. "Now it's a new tournament, a new goal, new matches. So I have just to be focused for what I have to do this year. Of course what I did last year gives me confidence that I can play good tennis again here, but it doesn't mean anything in these moments. So I have just to try to be healthy, to try to be 100% ready to start the tournament."

Halep was ranked No 2 until last Monday when Sharapova overtook her in the list but No 3 or No 2, Halep said experience was helping her deal with expectations.

"About the ranking, I am more prepared to be second [or third] than I was last year," she said.

Consistent off the ground and incredibly powerful for her relatively slight frame, Halep knows she can compete at the top and even though she has yet to win a Grand Slam, few believe it will be long until she rectifies that gap on her CV.

As a double Wimbledon champion, Kvitova doesn't have that problem and the Czech is in top form after winning the title in Madrid. But tennis players can be strange individuals; sometimes they need reminding about their achievements to convince themselves that they actually can perform on a particular surface.

That seems to be the case with Kvitova, who said her Madrid triumph reminded her that she could win on clay, something she had done, also in Spain, in 2011, the year she won her first Wimbledon title.

The difference this time, perhaps, is that she beat Williams in the semi-finals, before going on to overcome Kuznetsova in the final.

"I think as Madrid showed me this time, I think I can play and win against the great players as Serena is, for sure," Kvitova said. "So this is something special. At the beginning of the clay season I never really feel it straight away as, for example, [I do on the grass]. It always takes me some time, some practices, a few days to get used to the sliding and the movement. It's different. I believe I can win but I can't say that I believe that I can win Roland Garros this time.

"I'm more a person who is going one step ahead and playing match by match. That's what I'm going to do here."

Kvitova seems rejuvenated after deciding to take a two-month break, missing Indian Wells and Miami, recharging batteries that were in serious danger of being run down.

In Madrid she looked back to her best. Just don't tell her she is a potential champion.

"If you're asking if I'm feeling like a favourite, I don't feel the favourite," she said. "I lost in the third round last year, so I would be very happy if I can reach the third round and be in the second week for this year.

"I found out in Madrid that I can play well on clay, that it can be good surface for me. I would like to show you here."

Not long ago, players would talk about Williams in almost deferential terms; now, it seems they are realising that they have an opportunity.

If the seedings pan out we will be seeing a Williams-Sharapova final but for the first time in recent memory, it seems the fear factor has gone.