I’m afraid that’s all we’ve got time for in terms of our Roland Garros opening day live coverage. We’ll have the report from Murray versus Wawrinka later of course, as the pair with a combined age of 76 lock horns on Chatrier. It’ll be a fascinating duel, despite both men being past their peak by a good few years.
The headlines today are that Briton Jack Draper is out after a five-set defeat to Jesper de Jong, while big names in the men’s and women’s singles draws like Carlos Alcaraz, Naomi Osaka and Andrey Rublev are safely through. Bye for today! Thanks for joining us.
Caroline Garcia (21) beats Eva Lys 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
It all became very straightforward for the French player in the end, despite losing the opening set to 22-year-old 5 ft 5 qualifier Lys. Garcia wrote on social media yesterday that a “home slam is not always easy” and that proved somewhat prophetic. But she’s through after hitting her stride midway through the second set and that’s all that matters.
Garcia is serving at 5-2 up to close out her match. Meanwhile Gasquet v Coric remains on serve … rinse and repeat.
Updated
Finally, Gasquet takes the opening game. That took a while. Both men are looking a little flustered in this one. Coric starts his service game with an ace down the T.
Garcia has the break, the noise of the home crowd behind her, and is certainly improving as this match progresses. It would be a shock if the No 21 seed loses from here.
It’s bouncing back between deuce and advantage on the Gasquet serve, as Coric falls to the ground in search of another break point. He’ll need a moment, a mop of the head and he’s ready again. And he hits a down-the-line backhand to make it deuce again!
A report from earlier, via our man at Roland Garros, Tumaini Carayol.
Sofia Kenin beats Laura Siegemund 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
Diana Shnaider v Chloe Paquet is under way on Simonne Mathieu. On that same court, American Sofia Kenin earlier survived a bit of an early scare to stroll past Laura Siegemund and seal her passage to the second round.
Gasquet v Coric hasn’t yet restarted as the former has been enjoying a rather lengthy comfort break. He’s now walked back on court clasping about eight drinks.
Gasquet takes the second set in some style! A crashing cross-court forehand made sure of that, and it’s 7-6, 7-6 now. Garcia and Lys continue to trade breaks of serve and it’s pretty much anyone’s to win on Philippe Chatrier. French fortunes on the up?
Coric has made far too many unforced errors in this breaker and it’s pretty much Gasquet’s to lose now. The Frenchman is striking up the band as Coric wallops another forehand wide of the tramlines. 5-2 to Ricky G in the breaker.
Kei Nishikori is a break of serve down to Gabriel Diallo on Court 6, while Gasquet is up a mini-break in search of the second set against Coric. There’s a cracking atmosphere under the roof, amid a blast of French horns. Garcia breaks Lys in the opening game of their deciding set.
De Jong’s prize for beating Jack Draper is a second round meeting with Carlos Alcaraz. Some challenge, that. Draper exited the court very swiftly after his defeat and you can’t help but feel for the young Briton. He’ll hope to fare better on grass courts later this summer.
It is indeed a Gasquet v Coric tie break. Can the 37-year-old repeat the trick of his win in the first set breaker?
Garcia takes the second set 7-5 against Lys! That cues another big cheer from the home crowd, who over on Lenglen will be hoping and praying that Gasquet can force another tie break. He’s a point away from doing so …
Jesper de Jong beats Jack Draper 7-5, 6-4, 6-7, 3-6, 6-3
A sensational winner from the Dutch qualifier finishes off a fine victory! A proper gritty five-set match, which will represent disappointment for Draper. He was desperate to go one better than his first round exit in 2023, but it didn’t happen for him in Paris today.
Updated
It’s an all-Chinese clash on Court 9 as Xiyu Wang and Zhuoxuan Bai lock horns in their women’s singles first round match. We’re just in the opening knockings of that one. Meanwhile, Draper is facing two match points, he’s just not been able to get a foothold in this De Jong service game.
De Jong, who is ranked 100 places below Draper, is now just two points away from the second round …
Gasquet raises a fist to the crowd as he forces a break point against Coric. There’s a big point coming up on Lenglen.
Caroline Garcia has just missed an opportunity to level at one set apiece against Eva Lys. The Frenchwoman has it back at 5-5. Oh and it’s a double fault from Draper at the most horrendous time! He’s gifted the break to De Jong, who can now serve for the match.
Gasquet is made to work very hard to hold, but he does just that, to the delight of the Parisian crowd – they’re on their feet and dancing as it goes to 5-5.
Draper is undone by a canny De Jong drop shot, who has a break point in their final set decider over on Court 12.
Gasquet’s trademark elegant backhand serves him well after going 0-15 down. Lovely stuff down the line from the French veteran – 0-30 might have been dicey.
Thanks Daniel – and thanks for having me. Coric has just survived a couple of break points on Lenglen to force Gasquet to serve to save the set. Draper v De Jong is a proper ding-dong isn’t it? I’ll be all over those two matches, Lys v Garcia and of course it’s the small matter of Muzza v Stan the Man later.
Updated
Another hold for De Jong, who now leads 3-2 in set five, and with that my watch is over; here’s Dominic Booth to coax you through what remains of our coverage. Thanks all for your company; peace.
Draper makes it 2-2 and this is a really fun match, both men clouting the cover off it – likewise Lys who leads Garcia by a set and 4-3, upping the pressure with every hold. I strongly fancy her to see this out.
Back on Lenglen it’s on serve in set two, Gasquet leading Coric 7-6 3-4, and on Chatrier, Lys leads Garcia 6-4 3-2 on serve.
Southampton are back in the Prem having beaten Leeds 1-0 at Wembley. Rob Smyth has all the reaction.
De Jong goes long again – maybe that slip has distracted him a little – but Draper nets when given a chance to pass, meaning back to deuce. Then, down advantage, a brilliant point full of murderous groundstrokes means another deuce, and this time when faced with pressure, the qualifier errs, going long on the backhand and that’s the break back! De Jong leads 2-1 in the fifth.
Eeesh, up 2-0 40-15 in the fifth, a blazing return from Draper incites De Jong to chase … and he slips. Gosh, that would be awful if he’s hurt at this point, but he looks to be OK when he gets up – though a forehand sent long means he’s to battle through deuce to retain his break.
Marta Kostyuk (18) beats Laras Pigossi 7-5 (4)6-7 6-4
A scare for the number 18 seed, who faces Donna Vekic next.
Draper finds himself down 0-30 but soon levels only to find himself break-point down, and after he mishitting a putaway volley at the net, De Jong seizes upon the opportunity, whacking a winner; what an effort this is from him. Garcia, meanwhile, botches a slice down the line then a return cross-court when up break point and Lys leads 6-4 2-1.
A brilliant get from Draper, on the stretch, followed by a forehand winner punished down the line – also on the stretch – keep him in a game that De Jong is struggling to see out. But he gets there in the end for 1-0 as, on Chatrier, Lys leads Garcia 6-4 1-1 and on Lenglen, Gasquet leads Coric 7-6 2-2.
Hubert Hurkacz (8) beats Shintaro Mochizuki 4-6 6-3 3-6 6-0 6-3
A struggle for the number eight seed but he finds a way and faces Nakashima next.
A fine backhand return cross-court allows the wrong-footing putaway, a backhand into the corner as Garcia returns to centre, and Lys leads 6-4!
Serving at 4-5, Garcia saves one set point only to nets when up advantage, then again to cede a second. She misses her first serve too … only to nail her second, a high-kicking brute that’s almost above Lys’ head and the return strays wide; round we go. Draper, meanwhile, serves out, and at 5-7 4-6 7-6(3) 6-3, he and De Jong will now play a decider.
The rain-break felt like a good thing for De Jong, who must’ve felt the match slipping away. But he’s soon broken a second time, and though at 1-5, he swipes a backhand winner that claws back one of the two, it looks like we’re getting our decider. Excellent.
Lys and Garcia are playing a really fun at, the German going for everything she can; it’s 4-4.
A tremendous forehand from Gasquet, carted from middle rto corner, inside-out, raises set point at 6-3; Coric saves the first nicely, a netted return disappears another … but the third is on the Gasquet serve, the delivery has a big forehand behind it, and the local boy leads 7-6(5). He did a great job of upping the pace and therefore the risk-factor in that breaker, so earned his reward of a 1-0 lead.
Yup, Coric holds for 6-6 as the home crowd roar for Reechar – he quickly makes 4-1; on 12, Draper and De Jong return; and on lenglen, Garica is battling to hold, trailing Lys 2-3.
A gorgeous backhand – even by Gasquet’s standards – swatted cross, earns him 6-5, forcing Coric to serve for a first-set breaker.
Updated
Coric is having the better of things on Lenglen, but not by much and it’s 4-4 in the first, while Lys is giving Garcia plenty on Chatrier, earning her second break-back point and moving out of the road when her opponent goes long. They’re 2-2, also in the first.
Goods news: on Court 12, the covers are off. We should be away again in the next 10 minutes.
Garcia, up 15-40, watches a short service right on to her racket, only to dump her return … before sending the next into the tape. No matter: she raises another only to miss that one too, earns a fourth go, and this time she hares in to put away a forehand. Garcia leads 2-1.
Play on roofless courts now to resume not before 4.15 BST. And in the matches that are in progress, Gasquet breaks Coric back then holds for 4-3, whole Lys holds for 1-0 against Garcia.
Gasquet has such a strange service-action – he gets proper crouched before unspooling himself into a booming delivery. But he’s broken for 3-2 wihle, in a now very dark Lenglen, Garcia and Lys warm up. I’m sure there’s a good reason the roof is opaque, but it feels suboptimal.
Coric saves a break point in making it 2-2; Garcia makes her way on to Lenglen; and on 12, the sun peeks through.
Gah! latest:
On Lenglen, Gasquet leads Coric 2-1 on serve in the first.
Next on Chatrier: Eva Lys v Caroline Garcia (21).
The covers have come off on 12, with play not to resume before 3.45pm BST, so in 15 minutes, we should be close.
Alcaraz is really happy. He loves playing and wants to show his best tennis, which he thinks he did today. He also loves playing in Paris and thinks it’s great how many people have come out to watch him – more than would usually be around on day one. He doesn’t need much to get himself fit after injury, he practised last week against top players, and doesn’t feel like he ever stopped playing; his forearm is feeling good.
On which point they’re mopping up on 12, so we can assume the rain has stopped. Lovely.
Carlos Alcaraz (3) beats JJ Wolf 6-1 6-2 6-1
Another error from the back and Alcaraz is through quicksmart, the match done in an hour and 51 minutes. The Wimbledon champ looks in typically splendid fettle and he’s a threat here; next for him it’s Draper or De Jong.
Updated
A swiped backhand drops wide and Alcaraz has match point, but he can’t close out, netting a backhand; no matter. Wolf plays a good point then sends a putaway long – Alcaraz, racing to retrieve, puts pressure on with his presence, forcing his opponent to go for a little more power than he thought. Here comes match point number two…
Gasquet and Coric are away on Lenglen while Wolf, serving to stay in the match, is at 30-all with Alcaraz.
Wolf has given it a good go but Alcaraz is just so, so good, leading 4-1 and, as I type, a glorious inside-out forehand secures the hold and 5-1. This is almost did.
On Lenglen, a cold-looking Gasquet arrives, followed by Coric. It’s still raining.
Alcaraz breaks Wolf again to lead 6-1 6-2 3-0; Wolf looks not unlike the T-1000, but with none of his regenerative properties.
It doesn’t look great, it must be said; it’s grey and grim, and I doubt we’re back on for an hour or so minimum.
Next on Chatrier: Richard Gasquet v Borna Coric.
Hurkacz has broken Mochizuki for 5-2 in the fifth, while on 12, they’ve come off for rain with Draper up 4-1 in the fourth, trying to force a decider. Alcaraz, meanwhile, has broken Wolf again and leads 2-0 in the third, and oh dear – il est pleut beaucoup. We’ll be off everywhere but Chatrier and Lenglen now.
Ostapenko thanks the crowd, praising Cristian as a really good player. She’s happy with her attitude, in particular her refusal to give anything up, and back in the top 10, she’s trying to work hard to go further. She and Marion Bartoli, her former coach, have a lovely exchange about how much they like each other, and the 2017 champ knows she’s dangerous, coming with hopes to life the title again.
Jelena Ostapenko (9) beats Jaqueline Cristian 6-4 7-5
She faces Maria or Tauson next.
A luscious forehand from Ostapenko, curled from the middle of the baseline to break the sideline, and at 0-30 she’s two points from round two. She’s riding another buzz here, seven points on the spin putting Cristian under all sorts, and a decisive double illustrates the pressure.
Ostapenko holds for 6-4 6-5 and they’re going to shut the roof; on Lenglen, that can be done without pausing play, while on Chatrier, we’ll take a quick break.
Draper and De Jong are proper getting into it now, a long, sapping game giving the Brit break point on advantage; a netted backhand and he’s 2-0 in front, while Alcaraz powers to the second set, leading Wolf 6-1 6-2 and looking lovely; Siegmund leads Kenin 6-4 1-4
Grigor Dimitrov (10) beats Aleksandr Kovacevic 6-4 6-3 6-4
He meets Marozsan or Kukushkin next.
Updated
A moon-ball keeps Ostapenko guessing, she eventually swats wide, and Cristian is back level in the set. Alcaraz, meanwhile, now leads Wolf 6-1 5-2 – he’s serving for the second set – Kurcakz and Mochizuki are on serve in the fifth; Pigossi, a qualifier, leads Kostyuk, seeded 18, 3-0 in the third; Siniakova trails Galfi 2-3 on serve; and Marterer leads Thompson 6-3 5-2.
Having saved the break, Ostapenko snatches one of her own and will now serve for the match at 6-4 5-3; she saves a break point and we’re at deuce.
A 21-minute 6-0 set means Hurkacz and Mochizuki will now play a decider; did the Japanese letting it go to be fresh? And now that you ask, Alcaraz looks in fine nick, about to go 5-1 up following a gorgeous drop.
Ostapenko saves break point with a huge backhand down the line as Draper does similarly with a fore, then at 6-3 he has three chances to snaffle the set … and he only needs one, another scary forehand forcing De Jong to net! The qualifier leads 7-5 6-4 (3)6-7, and has momentum changed here?
Again, Ostapenkz has broken Cristian back; the 2017 champ now leads 6-4 3-3. Draper and De Jong, meanwhile, swap mini-breaks then an error from De Jong, on serve, has him whacking his racket about; that’ll teach it. Draper, though, launches a backhand long, so we’re now at 3-3.
Hubie isn’t going away either, rushing to a 5-0 fourth-set lead against Mochizuki; a decider looks inevitable.
Draper runs out of gas in a long rally, looping a forehand long and, at 30-all, he’s two points away from hame. From there, though, he finds what he needs, De Jong swiping wide, and we’ll now enjoy a breaker. If Draper can win that, his opponent will begin to wonder.
Obviously Alcaraz breaks Wolf immediately in set two, but a booming forehand means he’s soon facing a break-back point … saved with an ace, game soon his. Out on 12, Draper will shortly serve to stay in the match 5-6, as we learn that rain is falling. It’s not heavy though, and the courts can take some moisture, so hopefully we see it away without going off.
Tell you what, the Polish players get proper support wherever they go, and Hurkacz – by all accounts a lovely lad – is getting plenty. He holds for 1-0 in the fourth, while Ostapenko has quietened, Cristian breaking her to trail 4-6 3-1.
Alcaraz sneaks the first set 6-1, Wolf’s one game coming by way of immediate break. The Wimbledon champ looks in splendid condition, though whether his forearm can handle the concussive bludgeoning demanded of it across a fortnight remains to be seen. Meantime, Mochizuki serves out – eventually – to lead Hurkacz 6-4 3-6 6-3 and De Jong is now a game away from round two, asking Draper to serve to stay in the competition at 5-7 4-6 4-5.
Updated
Though we’ll be finished here, I should note that this evening, Andrew Murrance takes on Stan Wawrinka. That should be a lot of fun; Warinkz has beaten Muzz twice at Roland Garros and, as a former champ, will start the favourite.
As well as his immense physical and technical gifts, Draper also has moxie for months, and he forces an immediate break-back when he might easily have faded, down two sets. De Jong leads 7-5 6-4 4-3.
A coruscating backhand down the line gives Alcaraz the double-break and a 5-1 lead; he looks great out there, and not just because he’s wearing a t-shirt versus his opponent’s vest.
Draper just can’t get it going, immediately handing over another break; Ostapenko, on one now, blzes a winner to give her four games in a row and a 6-4 first set; Siegmund leads Kenin 4-1; Dimitrov is up 6-4 6-3 1-1 on Kovacevic; and Mochizuki leads Hurkacz 6-4 3-6 5-2.
French Open organisers have scrapped a planned farewell ceremony for Rafael Nadal after the 14-time champion revealed he may not quit this year after all.
The Spaniard, who turns 38 next week, was expected to retire at the end of the current season but said on Saturday that he was not certain that this year’s tournament would be his last.
“If I have to tell you it’s 100 per cent my last Roland Garros, sorry, but I will not, because I cannot predict what’s going on,” he said.
Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo admitted that Nadal had already told her about his apparent U-turn.
She said: “As you can imagine, we had something planned for him, but he said yesterday - he told us actually before yesterday - that because he doesn’t know if it’s going to be his last Roland Garros or not.
“He wants to leave the door open for him maybe to come back next year as a player. So we’re not going to push him obviously to do anything.
“It’s his decision when he wants to have a proper ceremony. So we’re not going to do it this year. That’s his wish, even though we’re ready to push the button.”
Nadal faces German world number four Alexander Zverev in his first-round match on Tuesday afternoon.
Mauresmo also revealed there would be no special send-off for Andy Murray, who is also wavering on whether to call it a day this year.
“Same as Rafa,” she said. “In advance I called him and he said ‘I don’t know, I’m not sure, let’s not do anything’.
“It seems that they don’t know, so we respect that.”
The teases.
Updated
Now then! A terrific drop-retrieval, Draper powering in to flick obliquely across the face of the net for a winner, followed by a booming forehand down the line, and we’re back on serve in the third! He’s been poor today – and De Jong has been excellent – but the Brit isn’t going away, despite trailing 5-7 4-6 2-3.
Yeah, time’s up. Wolf can’t keep the ball in court consistently and Alcaraz, who looks to be loving life on court – why wouldn’t he? – breaks for 3-1. So far, there’s no hint of forearm aggro, and on Lenglen, eight straight points means Ostapenko retrieves her break and is now level at 4-4 with Cristian, sporting a tremendous colour-combination of cyan and orange.
Updated
Kostyuk, who took the first set off Pigossi, now trails the qualifier 4-3 in the second; Dimitrov is serving for a 2-0 lead against Kovacevic; Cristian leads Ostapenkz 4-2; and Hurkacz, after levelling his match with Mochizuki at a set apiece promptly gets himself broken at the start of the third, trailing 1-3.
Updated
Draper engaged the services of Wayne Ferreira for this competition – one from which he won’t have expected loads. He will, though, have wanted to get match fit – in advance of Wimbledon if nothing else – and my guess is he keeps his man on. He has the talent to go to the top, if he can stay fit, and having someone experienced able to work with him on his focus can’t do any harm.
Er, perhaps not that interesting: Alcaraz breaks Wolf – a lucky loser – back. Except Alcaraz is always interesting, his mischievous creativity exactly what this thing of ours needs as we contemplate life without the big three.
Hurkacz has levelled his match with Mochizuki at a set apiece, while De Jong is ravaging Draper, breaking him again for 7-5 6-4 2-0; this match is emitting a strong sense of o-v-e-r.
I take advantage of what i think is a lull to nip off for a sharp comfort break … and return to see that Wolf has broken Alcaraz immediately. Interesting!
Alcaraz and Wolf are away on Chatrier while Cristian breaks Ostapenko for 2-1. The 2017 champ is a longtime favourite of this blog – her desire to attack everything is a piece of existentialist philosophy – but her ability to lose matches she shouldn’t is spectacular.
Updated
Marta Kostyuk, the number 18 seed, leads Laura Pigossi 7-5 2-2; and Griggzy Dimitrov, men’s number 10 seed, is up 6-4 2-0 on Aleksandar Kovacevic.
On Court 7, Shintaro Mochizuki is up a set against against Hubie Hurkacz, but the number eight seed now leads 5-3 in the second; and on 12, another error from Draper – is he struggling in the wind? – hands De Jong a break and a 7-5 6-4 lead!
Next on Mathieu: Lara Siegmund v Sofia Kenin.
Alcaraz, arm bandaged, is ready to come out on to Chatrier. We don’t know the kind of nick his forearm’s in, but if he’s still in come this time next week, he’s a serious threat.
Updated
Andrey Rublev (6) beats Taro Daniel 6-2 (3)6-7 6-3 7-5
Daniel gave him plenty, Rublev struggling to maintain his temper at various points. But he’s through to round two and will face Martínez or Tirante next; they’re about to start a fifth set.
Ill news for Draper, who loses his break and now trails 7-5 5-4. De Jong is hitting it hard.
Next on Chatrier: JJ Wolf v Carlos Alcaraz (3). Not bad! And next on Lenglen: Jelena Ostapenko (9) v Jaqueline Cristian.
Draper is now playing much better, leading De Jong 4-3 with a break in set to having lost one, while Daniel is serving to force a fourth-set breaker against Rublev.
Updated
5 - Now 5-3 on clay at WTA events in 2024, Naomi Osaka has claimed five seasonal match wins on clay for the first time since 2019, while holding the WTA’s #1 ranking. Osaka’s career high in a calendar year is nine (2019). Comeback.#RolandGarros | @rolandgarros @WTA @WTA_insider
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) May 26, 2024
Osaka thanks the crowd, saying it’s good to be back. She’s happy that at some moments she played well, but she was pretty nervous so got tight and is also happy with how she responded to that. Asked about her style, which tends not to change much regardless of the surface, she thinks she plays well on clay, and is praised for her self-designed trainers – “the most beautiful tennis shoes ever” – which she then displays.
Naomi Osaka beats Lucia Bronzetti 6-1 4-6 7-5
That wasn’t easy for Osaka, at all – Bronzetti played well and fought hard – but class told in the end. Next for Osaka it’s Swiatek or Jeanjean; not bad.
Updated
I’m back from drama-class run – thanks Michael Butler for sitting in – and I immediately see…
France's male No 1 Ugo Humbert is out!
The No 17 seed exits in the first round after a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 defeat to Lorenzo Sonego! Just a second career win over a top 20 opponent at a Grand Slam for the Italian!
Updated
Back on Philippe-Chatrier, Osaka is now serving to stay in the match against Bronzetti, who leads 5-4 in the deciding set. What a turnaround that is from the opening set, which the Japanese superstar won 6-1.
From our tennis correspondent at Roland Garros.
Asked tournament director Amelie Mauresmo about Alexander Zverev competing at Roland Garros despite his public trial for allegedly physically abusing his ex-partner beginning next week on Friday during the tournament. Her response: pic.twitter.com/vyH2rsLhqF
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) May 26, 2024
On Mathieu, Rublev now leads Daniel 2-1 and 3-2 on serve; he’s not loving it out there, and I fear for his rackets when he meets – if he meets – someone better. I wonder if he might benefit from some help on the mental side of things.
Three games on the spin for Bronzetti now, and at 4-3 in the decider, still with a break, Osaka has things to think about things about which to think.
Now then. De Jong makes 15-40 and two terrifying forehands set up a slam-dunk overhead! He breaks in the final game of the set to take it 7-5 and is going to town on Draper’s forehand!
I’ve not seen much of Draper 5-5 De Jong, but I’ve now found a way to get a fourth screen going – yes, I do appear to have ADHD – and the qualifier is giving a good account of himself, holding to guarantee himself a first-set breaker. Humbert, meanwhile, has now saved five break points in his last two service games and leads Sonego 2-1 in the fourth, trailing 1-2. He’s not letting this go.
Osaka isn’t messing about now, a second break giving her a 3-0 lead in the third, while Rublev has quickly regained the advantage over Daniel, taking the third set 6-3 for a 2-1 lead.
Dayana Yastremska (30) beats Ajla Tomljanovic 3-6 6-3 6-3
She faces Wang Yifan next.
Updated
Humbert has to save three break points before securing a monumental hold; had Sonego gone in front with a break, the match would’ve felt close to over but not it’s anything but.
Look at that! Sonego, now serving for the third set at 6-4 2-6, nails a succession of first serves, holds to love, and now leads Humbert by two sets to one. He played a very poor second, but either side has looked smart. Oh, and Osaka breaks Bronzetti at the first time of asking in their decider – there’s some frustration in the booming forehand that seals the deal.
Sonego saves break point and consolidates thanks to some substantial first serves; he’s two games away from a 2-1 lead, while Osaka, down set point, wallops a forehand that looks like it drops out … only for the umpire to call it in. Bronzetti isn’t sure, to say the least – I think there’s a dispute about which mark is the correct one – and when she earns another opportunity, Osaka swipes a forehand wide and that’s one set all on Chatrier! Osaka 6-1 4-6 Bronzetti
Oh and Rublev has ceased self-flagellating for long enough to break Daniel in set three; he leads 6-2 6-7 2-1.
It’s a strange match, this Humver v Sonego affair; neither man can sustain good play, momentum fluctuating unpredictably. And it’s the Italian back in the ascendancy, breaking for 4-3 in set three; two holds and he’ll lead 2-1.
Though Osaka conjures a rousting forehand, flicking her wrist to send a winner hurtling cross-court, Bronzetti hangs in there for her hold and 4-3 lead in the second as Rubelv also holds, aking significant fuss in the process. He and Dnaiel are now 1-1 1-1.
Rublev is not a happy boy, shrieking as Daniel raises game-point and sagging as he converts it for 1-0 in the third; he’s hating this now. Humbert and Sonego, meanwhile, also level at a set apiece, are on serve in the third at 3-2 to the Frenchman, and Bronzetti has just saved two break points trailing Osaka 1-6 3-3, fighting her way to deuce.
Updated
Marie Bouzkova beats Veronica Kudermetova (29) 6-2 6-4!
Out goes the number 29 seed, Bouzkova moving on to meet Bouzas Maneiro or Fett.
Updated
On Chatrier, Bronzetti is ensconcing; she’s playing much better now and she leads in set two – on serve – 3-2 ,and on 12, Draper and De Jong are out
Updated
Daniel gets the mini-break and finds a terrific point to back it up, a deep backhand on to the baseline doing the dirty work; Rublev eventually yields and trails 2-5. This is getting interesting now, and as I type, Daniel blazes another backhand, this time a straight winner, then another on to the baseline, and what a time to hit a seam! He levels the match and is enjoying himself out there now! Rublev 6-2 (3)6-76 Daniel
Humbert holds for 4-6 6-2 1-0, likewise Daniel, so he and Rublev will now play a second-set tiebreak; Yastremska has forced a decider against Tomlanovic; and Bouzkova leads Kudermetova 6-4 5-4 (on serve).
Quicksmart, Rublev holds, forcing Daniel to go again almost immediately at 2-6 5-6 while, on Lenglen, Humbert and Sonego return, the former facing break point immediately. It’s a strange match so far in that each set has been dominated by a different player with no clue a momentum-shift was imminent, but Humbert saves himself with a monstrous forehand winner down the line; further deuces follow.
Rublev burns two more set points then goes long on a backhand down the line, Daniel noising up the crowd at he levels set two at 5-5 having lost the first 2-6. On Chatrier, things are more straightforward, Osaka playing nicely in taking the first set off Bronzetti 6-1.
Updated
Sonego finds himself down 15-40 serving to stay in set two at 2-5; a monster down the T followed by a huge forehand facilitates the overhead putaway. They then go back and forth to deuce to advantage as Rublev nets a return when up set point, a misfortune he accepts with typical equanimity, then Humbert sends a backhand spinning cross-court and that secures him the set. Humbert 4-6 6-2 Sonego
Ach, bad news for Lesia Tsurenko who, in the middle of what looks a decent first set against Donna Vekic, has hurt herself and had to retire when down 5-6. Better news, though, for Osaka, who’s merrily clouting away and leads Bronzetti 4-1.
Sonego is battling his way back into this, forcing Humbert to deuce as he serves for 4-6 4-1, but big serves and forehands secure the hold; a set apiece looks imminent. On Mathieu, meanwhile, Daniel is playing well in set two, trailing Rublev 2-6 3-3.
It’s so good to see Naomi Osaka thwacking it at a major. She holds in game one against Bronzetti, and if she wins, she’ll face Swiatek next – provided the champ wins too.
I knew I’d seen it before…
Ajla Tomljanović, wearing a natty rig, has taken the first set off Dayana Yastremska, the number 30 seed, 6-3.
Out of nowhere, Humbert breaks Sonego at the first time of asking in set two to trail 4-6 2-0. Again, this match could go on some time, and as I type, the Frenchman rushes through a consolidation for 4-6 3-0. That, I guess, is what happens when you have two well-matched players, neither of whom is quite good enough to sustain their top level.
We’ll soon be away on Chatrier; Lucia Bronzetti and Naomi Osaka are due in two minutes.
Huge first serves do the trick for Sonego, the game secured to 15 and with it the set, 6-4. He beat Humbert in three sets in last year’s round two, and he’s looking good again.
Sonego is out-thinking Humbert at the moment, every hold a mission for the local boy. But he ekes out another – on which point eek not eke is one of my favourite American spellings – so the Italian will now serve for set one at 5-4. Elsewhere, Bouzkova has taken the first off Kudermetova, finishing it off with a second break for 6-2.
Bouzkova leads Kudermetova 4-2, as Tomljanovic does to Yastremska; Rublev, meanwhile, has set point as Daniel serves then nets, and leads 6-2.
Sonego and Rublev both consolidate, so let’s have a think about the latter, who is so likeable and good, but not quite good enough to find a way when he really needs to – and doesn’t he know it. While losing to Francis Tiafoe – a player he’d expect to beat – in the quarters in New York, he broke down, and in the ATP Final whacked himself with his racket so hard he drew blood. He wants it so badly, but unlike other players less good than he, he doesn’t have a weapon so big it sometimes works against the best, nor a game that when it clicks can be unbeatable. I’d love for him to find a way, but I can’t see it.
Humbert nets a backhand and Sonego breaks for 3-2 in the first; Rublev does likewise to Daniel for 4-3.
Humbert is a hard-courter really, but lanky lefties are nasty on any surface and the clay is bouncing pretty high early doors. Sonego, though, is creative and brave – exactly what you don’t want in round one – and i’d not be surprised if this one goes long. So far, they’ve taken 13 minutes over three games, Humber leading 2-1.
We’re on serve in our two main matches, Hunbert leading Sonego – who’s just flipped low around the net for a cheeky winner – 1-0, while Rublev is 2-1 up on Daniel.
Also today, we’ve got Nicolas Jarry – keep an eye on him, he’s a threat – playing Corentin Moutet, a local boy with flair for weeks; second on 12, Jack Draper meets Jesper De Jong, a Dutch qualifier; and Richard Gasquet meets Borna Coric.
To begin with, I’m watching Andrey Rublev (6) v Taro Daniel – that’s a tricky start for the seed, who begins yet another quest to beat a higher-ranked player in a Slam. Otherwise, I’m on Ugo Humbert (17) v Lorenzo Sonego – that too should be fun – and Marie Bouzková v Veronika Kudermetova (29).
Preamble
Zut alors! For the first time in a long time, we arrive at Roland Garros without any sort of clue what’ll happen in the men’s competition – Novak Djokovic is out of form and Rafael Nadal has no form – but a very good of idea of how the women’s will go – Iga Swiatek looks impregnable. Except both Djokovic and Nadal are more than capable of switching it on, while Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka are improving fast enough to aggravate Swiatek. Chauette!
Today, though, we settle into things with various brilliant others – Naomi Osaka, Carlos Alcaraz, Jelena Ostapenko, Andrey Rublev and Barbora Krejcikova are all in action, so let’s get on with it! On y va!
