Champion Ana Ivanovic Final score 6–4, 6–3 Doubles men | Runner-up Dinara Safina Singles men Legends −45 | |
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. The tournament favourite was upset in the third round by Katarina Srebotnik, meaning that there would be a first-time French Open champion in 2008.
Maria Sharapova, the World No. 2 behind Henin at the time of her retirement, was elevated to World No. 1 ahead of the French Open.
Ana Ivanovic, the second-seed and runner-up to Henin in 2007, won in the final 6–4 6–3, against first-time finalist Dinara Safina. It was Ivanovic's third Grand Slam final, second French Open final, and her first Grand Slam singles title. Ivanovic went through the entire tournament dropping only one set, against third-seed Jelena Janković in the all-Serbian derby semifinal. The winner of the semis, which was Ivanovic, took the World No. 1 ranking after reaching the final, displacing Maria Sharapova who was defeated in the fourth round by Safina.
First-time finalist Safina was match points down (in the second set) in her both fourth round & quarterfinal matches against Sharapova and 2004 finalist Elena Dementieva respectively.
This would also be the last time until the 2012 US Open in which Ivanovic would make a Grand Slam quarterfinal and the last time until this same tournament 7 years later that she would make a Slam semifinal.
It was also the notable of the first grand slam appearance of the future World No. 2 and two-time grand slam champion Petra Kvitová.