Otherwise, though, I’m away – peace out and see you tomorrow.
Righto, that is us – for today. Before I go, though, let’s go around the courts:
Atmane 2-6 1-0 Gasquet
Monnet 6-5 Boulter
Jarry 2-5 Fils
O’Connell 2-4 Humbert
Bautista Agut 7-6 4-6 3-6 2-4 Rune
Kasatkina 6-1 3-2 Siniakova
Cerundolo 5-7 3-6 4-5 Diallo
A fine, disguised drop gives Rune 3-2 and a fourth-set break; Bautista Agut knows the end is imminent. Meantime, at 30-all, Boulter swats a backhand wide and must now save break-back point … but she cannot! Monnet opens shoulders, smites an inside-out backhand on to the sideline, and that’s a clean winner! Boulter looked nervous there, and we’re back on serve at 5-5 in the first.
Bolter holds for 5-3 but then Monnet does likewise, forcing the British no 1 to serve for the first set; Fils consolidates to lead Jarry 4-1.
Down 30-40, Jarry slaps into the top of the net, ball leaps up … and out. Fils leads 3-1 and looks much the better player so far – likewise Boulter, serving at 4-3 in the first.
Fils is a slightly unusual marmite de poisson; unlike your average French player, he doesn’t have much feel, he just clobbers it. He did, though, recently beat Zverev in Miami, and will feel he can do something here, though in his section are Sinner, Lehecka and Rublev. He leads Jarry, also a good player, 2-1 in the first.
I wondered if Boulter took her eye off the ball, the match feeling a little too easy, and shonuff she breaks again immediately, now up 3-2 in the first. She’s another – like Burrage and Dart – who lacks a major weapon, but she hits it harder now than once she did and has got much better at not losing to players she outranks.
While my eyes are elsewhere – on Rune serving out to lead Bautista Agut 6-7 6-4 6-3 now that you don’t ask – Monnet breaks Boulter back and we’re level at 2-2 in set two. Meantime, on Lenglen, Fils holds to lead Jarry 1-0,
Up 5-3 in the third, Rune will shortly serve for the set while, on Lenglen, Jarry and Fils are out for a match that should be a lot of fun.
Boulter – or Klatie as she called herself after winning a 125k tournament on the surface the week before last – breaks Monnet immediately, two 15, consolidates, and now leads 2-1.
On Court 4, Jiri Lehecka leads Jordan Thompson 6-4 6-2 2-1; Davidovich Fokina, seeded 26, has beaten Llamas Ruiz, a qualifier, in four; Khachanov leads Vukic 6-4 6-4 1-1; Diallo leads Cerundolo 7-5 3-4; and on Chatrier, Gasquet leasds Atmane 1-0 with a break.
On Court 7, Rune has taken control. He leads Bautista Agut 6-7 6-4 4-1.
“Really underrated career for Caro Garcia,” emails Shreyas Eswaran. “World Tour Finals win, three Masters 1000 ions, rankings peak of 4, BJK Cup win, two doubles grand slams and, most importantly, seems like she’s very well liked on the tour. Always liked her clean, consistent game and will miss watching her at Roland Garros with the crowd at her back!”
Agree with every word. An obviously sound individual and a fine player, who was given the send-off she deserved.
Jacob Fearnley beats Stan Wawrinka 7-6(6) 6-3 6-2
A brilliant performance from Fearnley, who’s getting better and better. He plays Humbert or O’Connell next, and will fancy his chances against either.
Fearnley breaks again and is now serving for the match at 5-2 in the third. He might be 40, but Stan is still a former champ and any win over him is a triumph, especially for a player making his way in the game.
Back on 14, Fearnley – up 2-0 – was broken back, but he soon reclaimed the advantage and now leads Wawrinka 7-6 6-3 4-2. He’s two games away
On Lenglen, Bernarda Pera has beaten Caroline Garcia 4 and 4; she meets Donna Vekic next. Garcia, though, will never play Roland-Garros again; she’s retiring, and the crowd showed fitting approval for her efforts, likewise her opponent.
Bernarda Pera with some kind words for Caroline Garcia 🫶#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/BudmANCeEz
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 26, 2025
Next on Mathieu: Carole Monnet v Katie Boulter.
Altmaier says it was a very special match. He’s been working really hard to prepare and is ready to play anyone – “I really love my performance”, he concludes.
Two years ago, he beat Jannik Sinner in Paris and this is his favourite tournament “4 eva”; he’ll never forget and he hopes to have many more.
He has a long vision, wants to achieve something big in the sport, and off he goes.
Badosa says when she saw the draw she was really looking forward to playing a player she respects a lot, on and off court. She loves Osaka’s tennis and it’s not fair to play her first round, but she’s really happy with her level especially coming off an injury.
It was a match in which both players were aggressive and serving well, but on clay you have to be consistent. she knew she’d keep fighting and kept saying “let the best one win … and today it was me.”
Asked about serving it out, she says she works a lot on her mental game for the important moments and to try and keep things simple. She was saying go for it, go with the legs, do a good toss, accelerate – she tries to focus, thinking of it like it’s a rule book as she knows that she’s an emotional person and if the emotions come she’ll probably start cramping. Some days it works, some days it doesn’t, but it was a really fun match and the crowd gave her great energy.
Finally, she’s told that Tsitsipas, her boyfriend, also won, then says that at 7-6 down, the first thing she did was look at the Nadal footprint to get inspiration and fight like he did. Ah that’s great.
Fearnley breaks Wawrinka for a 7-6 6-3 2-0 lead and if he stays focused, as we know he will, he’ll be into round two.
Daniel Altmaier beats Taylor Fritz (4) 7-5 3-6 6-3 6-1
A conclusive tousing bins the no 4 seed and gives Altmaier his path through the draw. Next for him: Vit Kopriva.
Paula Badosa (10) beats Naomi Osaka (1)6-7 6-1 6-4
A fine match between two fantastic players and one that could just as easily have been a quarter-final. Osaka couldn’t quite muster the consistency to win, while Badosa did really well to hold it down when it got tight at the end. I wish we could see another couple of sets, but instead we have to make do with seeing the winner in the second round, where she’ll meet Ruse or Kessler.
And she quickly makes 30-0; can Osaka put her under pressure? Er, no: another big serve is slammed back, but just long. Three match points coming up…
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A swift hold for Osaka means that at 5-4 in the third, Badosa must serve for the match.
Osaka swings a backhand just wide and Badosa endorses her break to lead 5-3 in the third; she had to fight for it, but it’s there and she’s a game away.
Otherwise, Fearnley closes out to lead Wawrinka 7-6 7-3 – what I like about him is his ability to keep turning up and delivering close to his best level – and Altmaier, leading Fritz 2-1, is now 4-1 ahead in set four. He’s two holds away from a massive win (that this blog suggested was possible).
A double hands Osaka break-back point, but Badosa really opens her shoulders defending it and eventually her opponent wilts; this is a brilliant contest, both players capable of the very best and very worst, sometimes in the same rally. And, as I type, Badosa – again, up advantage – sits up a second serve, duly spanked down the line for a deuce-restoring winner.
Down 15-30, Badosa tries a drop and, on the line, Osaka slips seeking to change direction; great shot. But from 40-30, she can’t close out, a first serve that barely clambers into the net followed by a backhand wafted long. Then, with Badosa up advantage, Osaka does brilliantly to stay in the point before detonating a forehand that restores deuce. The match, my friends, is right here.
Down 30-40, Osaka nails a serve down the T, then a clean-up forehand to the corner. Badosa, though, makes her play another ball, she misjudges her swing-backhand but the court’s empty and did she frame it in? She did not and what an oversight that is! Her opponent was barely in the picture! Badosa leads 4-3 in the third, but we know she’ll feel the nerves as she tries to struggle over the line.
OK, with Burrage over, I need to pick another match to watch. It’s either Altmaier 7-5 3-6 6-3 1-1 Fritz or Bautista Agut 7-6 2-3 Rune; I guess I’ll take the former.
Badosa eventually secures her hold for 3-3 and the players are getting increasingly desperate; lovely stuff. Fearnley, meanwhile, has broken Wawrinka for 7-6 3-1, and Khachanov, seeded 24, leads Vukic 6-4.
Danielle Collins beats Jodie Burrage 7-6(1) 6-4
Collins had too much in the end, but Burrage will be relatively happy with her performance – she just didn’t play the big points well enough. Next for the winner: Olga Danilovic.
Oh my days, a leaping Osaka annihilates a forehand winner cross-court that breaks the sideline and raises break point at 3-2 in the third; what a shot that is! Badosa, though, larrups a forehand close to the baseline and when the riposte falls long, she unleashes, perhaps too soon, because after a big serve allows her to clean up, she thwacks straight at her opponent … but Osaka doesn’t move her feet, so can’t get around the ball to control a shot that only needs to arrive into court. That’s a big missed opportunity, though as we go from deuce to advantage, she’s still in the game.
Collins leads 5-3 in the second and though Burrage has given a good account of herself, like Harriet Dart, she lacks a definitive weapon on which to rely when things get tight.
Meantime, Altmaier has taken the third set to leasd Frtiz 7-6 3-6 6-3; following them on Mathieu we’ve got Monnet v Boulter.
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Back on Chatrier, Badosa breaks back immediately; we’re 2-2 in the fifth, and this is brewing into an epic.
Like Cam Norrie, Fearnley is a classic example of a late developer who gets much better than anyone expected. His exocet of a forehand is part of the reason why, but his ability to keep the heid is also crucial, and I’d not be surprised if we start seeing him in the second week of Slams this year or next.
And have a look! Fearnley, on Roland Garros debut, wallops a forehand, then swipes a backhand cross that breaks the sideline, and he seizes the breaker to lead Wawrinka 7-6(6).
Elsewhere, Bautista Agut leads Rune 7-6; Collins leads Burrage 7-6 3-2 with a break; and Tomljanovic leads Joint 6-1.
Osaka is back playing like herself, a winner making 0-30 and a ball close to the line forcing Badosa to flap wide. Badosa, though, makes 30-40, both players unloading the suitcase when hitting from the back … only for the break to be ceded via double. It really is outrageous how poorly Osaka played in set two and how much better she’s playing now; she leads 2-0.
Wawrinka outhits Fearnley from the back, targeting the backhand, but a backhand of his own, into the net, levels us at 3-3. Meantime, Osaka punishes a forehand that makes 30-all, then clinches a massive hold with a drop for 1-0 in the third; she’s back in the match.
Altmaier is a break up on Fritz in the third, leading 1-1 3-1; Fearnley and Wawrinka are playing a first-set breaker; Rune and Bautista Agut are 2-2 in their first-set breaker; and Tsitsipas now leads Etcheverry 7-5 6-3 1-1.
Osaka hangs on through deuce to make Badosa serve for the second set, but can she refocus? She lost interest after the second break and her hitting has been wild ever since, no more so than with the return that hands over 40-15. And from there, Badosa closes out for 6-7 6-1; she’s got to be the favourite heading into the decider.
Wawrinka is 40 now, so it’s incumbent upon us to enjoy him while we still can. There has never been a player more dedicated to arriving on court looking like he’s just come from the club and he’s giving it a serious thwack out there, Fearnley too. Stan holds to love for 6-5 in the first; Badosa leads Osaka 5-0 in the second.
Badosa breaks a second time for 4-0 in the second and what a comeback this is – the chance to subside was right there for her in game one of this. Taking of which, after all that work, Burrage has lost the first-set breaker to Collins 7-1, and it’ll take some serious reasoning with herself for the Brit to get over the mess that’s ensued after she earned the chance to serve for the lead herself.
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While I was focused on Court 8, Badosa broke and consolidated so now trails Osaka 6-7 3-0, while Fearnley and Wawrinka are locked at 4-4. On Mathieu, Fritz has levelled at 1-1 against Altmaier, Bautista Agut leads Rune 5-4 on serve, Tsitsipas leads Etcheverry 7-5 5-3, and Tabilo saw off Cazaux 6-3 in the fifth.
Now then. Burrage breaks Collins for 65 in the first then, serving for the set, quickly finds herself down 15-40. But a service-winner then an error take her to deuce … only for two errors to hand over the game. Tiebreak coming up…
Scary hours for Badosa, serving at 30-all, and Osaka spirits a backhand winner down the line to raise a break point that’ll almost feel like a match point, Badosa, though, is a different personality these days, refusing to accept the chance to lose and instead making deuce then closing out with a forehand winner. That’s a huge hold.
Wawrinka has broken Fearnley and now leads 3-2 in the first, both players whacking with abandon. And on 8, Collins and Burrage are 5-5 in the first, neither with a big enough weapon to take control.
Osaka only needs one go at it, Badosa lamping a return long and plenty to concede a 1-7 breaker. She fell apart there, right as her opponent raised it.
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Osaka continues her burst, reaching 4-1, then Badosa sends down a weak double and is the situation getting big on her? At 1-5, she nets a forehand on the run, and now faces five set points.
“Is there a lot of pressure on Emma Raducanu to be great again?” wonders Andrew Benton. “Perhaps from herself, perhaps from the media, and perhaps from the fans? I’m fine if she wins nothing again ever, she won the US Open on a whim and a bit of luck, and that’s achievement enough. I guess she’s got to make a living somehow, so she keeps plugging away. What do you think?”
I’d be shocked if she won another Slam, and I don’t think she’s under pressure from anyone but herself because everyone knows how unlikely it is. But she’s a pro who doubtless enjoys competing and thinks that she can do it again – rightly so. If she can stay clear of injury, there’s a fine career that’s hers for the taking.
Osaka makes 0-30 then nails a forehand cross … only for Badosa to punish a winner down the line from way out of court. At 30-all, Osaka swipes wide, not by much … then on set-point hammers a forehand winner towards the corner to earn deuce. A well-judged overhead is then enough for advantage, before more forehands secure the break-back and a tiebreaker. That was an excellent game from Osaka, her focused power too much for Badosa.
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Up 30-40, Badosa lands a return close to the baseline, there’s another big forehand behind it, it too is deep, and the riposte drifts long. At 6-5, Badosa will shortly serve for the first set.
Righto, Osaka 5-5 Badosa is hotting up; it’s time to pay close attention.
Elsewhere, Fearnley has broken Wawrinka, the 2015 champ, in the first game, while Collins leads Burrage 4-3 on serve.
Here’s Tumaini Carayol on Raducanu.
Friends fear he’d happily wear Hakimi’s windcheater.
Alcaraz thinks he played solid and the first round is never easy, especially as defending champ. He tried to be focused and he’s proud of his start as he was excited to play his first match.
Otherwise, he wants to keep a good rhythm and level and his whole team are here with him which is great.
Finally, he’s offered the opportunity to trail his presumably revelatory documentary and says he wants to feel like a normal kid, before being shown Desiree Doue, Nuno Mendes, Achraf Hakimi and Joao Neves in the crowd; he’s looking forward to the Champions League final and hopes PSG win.
Oooh, Altmaier has nabbed a break at the end of his first set with Fritz to lead 7-5; Collins leads Burrage 2-1 on serve in the first.
Carlos Alcaraz (2) beats Giulio Zeppieri 6-3 6-4 6-2
As routine as routine gets for the champ, who dons a minging rugby top for the post-match interview. Next for him, Fábián Marozsán.
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Badosa hasn’t played much in the lead-up tot his competition – looking after her back, which kept her out for a stretch in 2023, is a daily grind. she did, though, have a great 2024, then made the last four in Melbourne – her power-game, when working well, is very hard to combat. And, as I type, she saves a break point then closes out for 3-3 in the first.
We thought Altmaier and Fritz would be tight and so far, it is, 5-5 in the first; on 14, Fearnley and Wawrinka will soon be out and I’ll move to that once Alcaraz is done; Collins leads Burrage 1-0; Tsitsipas leads Etcheverry 5-4; Tabilo and Cazaux are playing a fifth; Samsonova leads Sherif 7-6; and Kecmanovic has come back from 2-0 down to force a decider against Baez.
Yes, I think it’s slides. Osaka and Badosa are 2-2 in the first and this is shaping up; Alcaraz now leads Zeppieri 2-0 4-1 with the double-break and will, presumably, soon be back in the locker room.
It’s always good to see her out there; it’s always exciting to see her garms. I’ve not a clue why others just accept the standard-issue stash.
On Chatrier, the heavy artillery is out, Osaka, now sliding on the clay, taking on the surging Badosa and holding for 1-0.
“I don’t feel great,” Raducanu tells TNT, saying she was struggling from the start. Xinyu is a tough opponent who “can take the racket out of your hands” and she was flat, but opening rounds are never easy and she’s not played Paris in three years, so it’s a relief to be through.
She wasn’t feeling very energetic but can take positives. Lots of top players have survived in round one and gone on to do well, and you can’t teach character and fight so she’s happy to have shown that.
She felt the noise around the match and is glad to have another; she thinks her game is a good place, so facing the three-time defending champ is a “good challenge”. It’ll be that, alright.
Next on Court 8: Danielle Collins v Jodie Burrage.
Emma Raducanu beats Wang Xinyu 7-5 4-6 6-3
A double ends the match, and that’s as fitting as anything; both players played some good stuff and some muck. Next for Raducanu comes Swiatek, and she’ll need to play a lot better to make it competitive – but she’s capable.
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Alcaraz has taken the second set to lead Zeppieri 6-3 6-4; Raducanu is up 15-40, with two match points…
I think the thing with Raducanu is that she lacks a major weapon. You can understand if someone unlikely but with a huge serve pouts it all together over a fortnight – Krajicek at Wimbledon 1996, say, or Ostapenko in Paris 2017. But I guess Barbora Krejcikova now has two Slams and Sofia Kenin one, likewise Caroline Wozniacki – which is just naother way of saying nothing has even been as unpredictable as women’s tennis over the last decade or so. And, as I type, Wang yanks back a break, so Raducanu now leads 5-3 in the third … and she’s quickly up 0-30…
Wang holds so, at 7-5 4-6 5-2, Raducanu will serve for the match. Every time I even think of her I find it impossible to believe she won a major even in the wildest era any sport has even experienced, not because she isn’t good, she is, but because it usually takes a fair bit more than that, and while lot more suffering.
On Mathieu, Fritz and Altmaier have just started; Alcaraz has just broken Zeppieri to lead 6-3 5-3; Raducanu leads Wang 5-1 in the third; Tsitsipas and Etcheverry have just started; and Korda has beaten Darderi 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-2, so meets Brooksby next.
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If Swiatek improves through the rounds, she’ll be difficult to stop. But because she’s seeded fifth – when was the last time that was so of a three-time defending champ?! – her route to the final won’t be easy. She may well have to beat Rybakina, Paolini, Sabalenka and Gauff; good luck with that, old mate, we can’t wait to see you try.
Swiatek credits her opponent’s performance, especially her forehands down the line which were “pretty amazing”. That being the case, she’s pleased with her own performance and use of her own weapons.
She loves Paris and the courts, so is pleased she arrived early, and asked about yesterday’s Nadal ceremony, she tried her best not to cry, but seeing Nadal at it, she couldn’t help herself, and even though he’s not playing anymore, he inspires her.
Maybe one day, she’ll have her own footprint on Chatrier forever more.
Next on Chatrier: Naomi Osaka v Paulo Badosa (10). Bada bing!
Iga Swiatek (5) beats Rebecca Sramkova 6-3 6-3
Swiatek needed that. Sramkova gave her a proper test but ultimately couldn’t play well enough for long enough and lost the biggest points. Next for the three-time champ: Wang or Raducanu.
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Gosh, up 40-30 and eager to get off court, Swiatek hammers a backhand into the net-post; a body-serve earns her advantage and another match point…
Aaaach, having fought back to advantage, Sramkova tries a drop to finish a long rally … and it’s too short. From there, Swiatek seizes the break, and at 6-3 5-3 will now serve for the match. This has been a really good workout for her – winning a toughie will do more for her confidence than spanking someone.
Seb Korda, someone I thought would be better than he is by now, is almost home: he leads Smurf Darderi 6-2 4-6 6-3 5-1. Back on Chatrier, Sramkova is in trouble, down 6-3 4-3 0-40, while Raducanu has two points for a double-break … and she takes the second. That’s six games out of seven, and she leads 3-0 in the third.
Next on Mathieu: Daniel Altmaier v Taylor Fritz (4).
Raducanu holds for 2-0 in the third and I’d not be surprised if she breaks again; Wang, you feel, must hold to have a chance.
Casper Ruud (7) beats Albert Ramos-Vinolas (Q) 6-3 6-4 6-2
A good win and performance from the twice-beaten finalist; next for him, it’s Nuno Borges, and that could be a really good match.
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Oh dear. All that effort and Wang is broken to love in the opening game of the decider, Raducanu collaring a second serve with a forehand return down the line. On Lenglen, meantime, Alcaraz serves out for a 6-3 lead against Zeppieri and Swiatek breaks Sramkov aback for 6-3 3-3.
What is it with these hooped Nike tops? Alcaraz looks like he forgot his kit so had to take whatever was left in lost property. From the company that gave you Agassi, it’s an inexplicable misstep.
All that effort and Raducanu can’t secure the hold for 5-5; instead, Wang vaporises a forehand, taking the second set 6-4, and we’ll soon have a decider. Raducanu looks the better, more versatile player, but can she play well enough for long enough to see it out?
Alcaraz leads Zeppieri 4-2 and it doesn’t look like the young(ish) Italian has much for him. Otherwise, Ruud leads Ramos-Vinolas by two sets and a break with Altmaier v Fritz next up; Swiatek is on the board in set two, now leading Sramkova 6-3 1-2; and Nishioka has retired, so Popyrin, up 7-5 6-4 1-2, moves into round two where he’ll face Tabilo or Cazaux, one of our picks to go long, and currently the Chilean leads 5-7 6-3 2-1 with a break.
Talking of Raducanu, she’s broken Wang again so we’re back on serve in set two at 7-5 4-5, and Sramkova is also at it, breaking Swiatek for 3-6 1-0. This match is intensifying.
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Elena Rybakina (12) beats Julia Riera 6-1 4-6 6-4
The 2023 Wimbledon champ gets it done. Her ability to deliver the best and the worst, often one after the other, makes her dangerous but vulnerable, but she found a way here and will be the better for it having not had much time to acclimatise. next for her is Jovic, but there are loads of potential pitfalls in a quarter of the draw that also includes Raducanu, Ostapenko, Minnen and Swiatek.
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Meantime, Raducanu holds for 3-5 in the second, forcing Wang to try and serve out the set a second time; Swiatek holds to secure a fun and competitive first set against Sramkova, 6-3.
Oh, Rybakina makes 15-40, Riera goes long, and for the third time in this final set, she breaks; after a sit-down, she’ll serve for the match at 5-4 in the first.
Swiatek sticks away a volley that gives her her consolidation and a 5-3 first-set lead; Rybakina and Riera are now 4-4 in the deicer; Alcaraz leads Zeppieri 2-1 on serve; Ruud leads Ramos-Vinolas 6-3 6-4 1-1; and Popyriun leads Nishioka 7-5 6-4 0-1.
What an unusual athlete Emma Raducanu is, one of the least predictable players in the least predictable sport. I’ve never had the slightest clue what to expect from her, from point to point never mind from match to match and, as I type, she retrieves one break having looked devoid of energy the previous 20 minutes; she leads 7-5 2-5.
The crowd chant “Elena” as Rybakina remonstrates with herself after Riera holds for 4-3; Swiatek breaks Sramkova for 4-3 and this is a really high-level match, both players absolutely clouting it; Wang breaks Raducanu again for 5-7 5-1.
Right, Riera has broken Rybakina back in set three – they’re at 3-3 – so I’ve switched from Alcaraz–Zeppieri to that.
Wang breaks Raducanu for 5-7 1-3 then finds herself down 15-40; a big backhand and that’s soon 30-40. Raducanu, though, fires a decent return … but Wang is there to deflect it into space. And from there, she closes out for 4-1 and is two games away from forcing a decider.
I’ve moved Alcaraz to my phone, in order to get a better look at Sramkova 3-2 Swiatek. It’s a funny thing, really – I’m not that surprised the champ is struggling. Of course she’s a top player, but she never seemed quite as good as the titles she was winning – she ought really to have lost to Osaka in last year’s second round and my sense has always been that her game isn’t quite big enough. I’m not saying she’s been found out, but I do think she can be hit through.
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Alcaraz and Zeppieri are out on Lenglen; Srankova and Swiatek are 2-2; Rybakina has a break in the decider against Rier, leading 2-1; Raducanu leads Wang 7-5 1-2; and Darderi has levelled at one set apiece against Korda.
Next on Lenglen: Giulio Zeppieri v Carlos Alcaraz (2).
Well, something worked: Raducanu serves out to love and leads Wang 7-5. Meantime, Riera has forced a decider against Rybakina and I wish I had another screen to watch that; I’ve swapped out Ruud 6-3 2-2 Ramos-Vinolas for Sramkova 1-0 Swiatek.
Bouzas Maneiro is happy with how she played and handled the pressure. Last year was tough for her so she wanted to bring her best, and she did.
She thinks anything is possible, tries to play her best every time she competes, and though she didn’t expect this score, she’s happy.
Her team asked her to win in two as she’s been playing a lot of threes recently, so is chuffed to get in and out inside an hour.
Before seeking to serve out, Raducanu calls the trainer for treatment on her left knee and quad; there’s ice involved.
On Chateirer, Sramkova and Swiatek are leathering at each other from the back – already, this looks like it could be a decent contest.
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Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro beats Emma Navarro (9) 6-0 6-1
An absolute devastation. Bouzas Maneiro’s forehand dominated this match, too powerful and deep for Navarro to handle and, in particular, she victimised her opponent’s second serve. Next for her, Parry or Montgomery.
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Er yeah, Bouzas Maneiro soon makes 30-40 but strays wide on match point and we move to 6-0 5-1 deuce; Raducanu breaks Wang a third time for 6-5 but can she finally hold on to serve out the first set? Meantime, Swiatek and Sramkova are out on Chatrier, while Riera has broken Rybakina back to trail 1-6 5-4.
Down 30-40, Bouzas Maneiro serves a double so Navarro, now on the board, salutes the crowd in self-mockery – this has been a chastening morning – and Wang does indeed break Raducanu back for 5-5 in the first.
Serving for the set at 5-4, Raducanu finds herself down 0-30, but plays the next rally really well … only to thwack a backhand into the net with the court open. A fine backhand down the line and into the corner retrieves the first break-back point, though, while, on Lenglen, Bouzas Maneiro is serving for the double-bagel at 6-0 5-0, on which point the aforementioned focaccia is not ready. Terrible parenting.
Ah, Ruud serves out for a 6-3 set. Ramos-Vinolas pushed him hard there, so he’ll be pleased with the way he played – he’s hitting it well and handled the important points with composure. Ruud, of course, made the final in 2022 and 2023 – and the final in New York that first year – but is one of those players you assume will, in every Slam, eventually play someone able to reach a level he cannot.
Updated
Raducanu holds for 5-3 and, though Wang isn’t making it easy for herm she has the measure of the contest now. Otherwise, Ruud is serving for the set against Ramos-Vinolas, up 5-3; Rybakina leads Riera 6-1 3-2 with a break; Blanchey leads Gaston 6-2 0-2; Popyrin leads Nishioka 7-5; Cazaux has broken Tabilo back to trail 4-; and Korda leads Darderi 6-2 2-3 with a break.
Updated
Poor Emma Navarro. No longer is she trying to make round two, she’s trying to avoid the double bagel – bagelayim as the Hebrew should but doesn’t call it. She’s broken yet again, the power and accuracy of Bouzas Maneiro’s hitting way too much; at 0-6 0-3, she’s running out of time to avoid the ultimate embarrassment.
Raducanu is getting nowt for nowt, forced to 30-all as she seeks her endorsement. From there, though, she does well to close out for 4-2, while Bouzas Maneiro breaks Navarra at the start of srt two for 6-0 1-0. This is an absolute tousing … so far.
Inside-out backhand to the corner … and Wang can’t control her response. Raducanu breaks again, for 3-2, and can she hold on to it this time?
Back on Lenglen, Bouzas Maneiro completes her bagel, which reminds me my 11-year-old is downstairs making focaccia. It doesn’t yet smell like my intervention is required, but I guess I should remind her that I’m hungry.
Updated
Bouzas Maneiro is all over Navarro – when I began typing it was 4-0, now it’s 5-0. It’s not exactly a clay-court thing either; rather, she’s clouting the fuzz off it.
Elsewhere, Ruud leads Ramos-Vinolas 4-1; Rybakina leads Riera 6-1; Nishioka leads Popyrin 4-3 on serve; Tabilo leads Cazaux 4-1 in a match that could go long; Korda leads Darderi 6-2 1-0; and Raducanu, 2-2 with Wang, has two break points.
Updated
I’m not sure if everyone’s trying to camouflage with the clay, but there are a lot of clay-coloured rigs on show this morning. More news as I get it.
A well-directed serve saves Raducanu a break point. But on deuce she goes long with a moon ball, then a double, the second part of which was one of the worst serves you’ll ever see, and Wang is on the board at 1-1. Meantime, Bouzas Maneiro breaks Navarro a second time to lead 3-0 and on 7, Blanchet, a qualifier, leads Gaston 4-0.
Updated
Elsewhere, Rybakina leads Riera 3-0 and Korda leads Darderi 3-1. I think there’s a fair chance it’s just me who calls him Smurf, dardas being smurf in Hebrew.
A backhand winner down the line raises two break points for Bouzas Maneiro … both saved by Navarro. So to deuce we go and they’re absolutely zetzing it now, Bouzas Maneiro converting her second advantage for 1-0. Already, this looks like a belting tussle while, on Court 8, Wang is serving having come back from 0-30 down to deuce. As I type, though, Raducanu punishes a return then a swing-volley for advantage, Wang then swipes wide, and that’s a break too.
Updated
Emma Navarro knows herself. This last year, she’s gone deeper in all four Slams than ever before – the last eight at the Aussie Open and Wimbledon, round four in Paris and the semis in New York – as well as her highest ranking, eight. I’m not certain she’s the weapons to beat the best on the biggest occasions, but she’s at one with her game and a seriously dangerous match-player.
Bouzas Maneiro, though, knows how to play on clay and is also settled into herself – last year, she binned Marketa Vondrousova, the defending champion, at Wimbledon – and this should be a fun tussle.
So where do we start? Good question. But fear not, I’ll now stop responding to myself and say I’ll be watching Raducanu v Wang, Bouzas Maneiro v Navarro and Ruud v Ramos-Vinolas. To begin with…
Preamble
Salut et bienvenue à Roland-Garros 2025 – deuxième jour!
An absolutely indecent quantity of stupendous tennis awaits us today – so much so that it’s hard to know where to start, but we’ll do our best!
The match of the day comes second on Chatrier, where Naomi Osaka takes on Paula Badosa – I’d not want to be a ball in that one. Before that, though, we’ll see Iga Świątek, going for an unprecedented fourth title in a row but horribly out of confidence, along with Emma Navarro, seeded nine, against the canny Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Then, later in the day, Katie Boulter begins her campaign against the qualifier, Carole Monnet; Madison Keys, the US Open champion – and what a thrill it is to type those words – takes on Daria Saville; while Elena Rybakina, Daria Kasatkina and Barbora Krejcikova are also in action.
And goodness me, that isn’t it – in fact that’s so far from it, it’s barely possible to process. Because coming right up are Jelena Ostapenko, Emma Raducanu v Wang Xiyu and Danielle Collins v Jodie Burrage – before we even take a look at the men’s competition.
Which of course is popping too. Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion gets back involved; Taylor Fritz, seeded four, faces a nasty opener against Daniel Altmaier; Holger Rune, seeded 10, meets Roberto Bautista Agut; Jacob Fearnley encounters Stan Wawrinka; with Stefanos Tsitsipas, Arthur Fils, Seb Korda and Casper Ruud all drawn against tricky opponents.
On y va!
Play: 11am local, 10am BST; Chatrier 12pm local, 11am BST.
