Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek are
off to good starts at the French Open in their title defenses
[May 27, 2025]
By HOWARD FENDRICH
PARIS (AP) — Iga Swiatek, who has struggled lately, and Carlos
Alcaraz, who has not, got off to good starts in their French Open
title defenses Monday, recording straight-set victories to reach the
second round.
Swiatek was up first in Court Philippe-Chatrier and defeated
42nd-ranked Rebecca Sramkova 6-3, 6-3. Swiatek compiled 25 winners
and 17 unforced errors in the 1-hour, 24-minute contest.
Alcaraz needed only about a half-hour more than that for a 6-3, 6-4,
6-2 win over Giulio Zeppieri, an Italian qualifier who is ranked
310th. Alcaraz won all 14 of his service games, saving the three
break points he faced, at Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
“It was really, really solid,” Alcaraz said. “Really proud about my
start.”
Both Swiatek and Alcaraz sat in the Chatrier stands a day earlier to
watch the farewell tribute to 14-time champion Rafael Nadal — and
both active players wore the rust-colored T-shirts that read “Merci
Rafa” distributed to spectators. Swiatek has often talked about her
admiration for Nadal; Alcaraz is considered the 22-time Grand Slam
champion's heir apparent.
“For sure, there were tears,” said Swiatek, who faces 2021 U.S. Open
champion Emma Raducanu next. “It was amazing ceremony, and I’m happy
that Roland Garros did this for Rafa. I’m happy that also the whole
tennis world had an opportunity to kind of come together and just
thank him. ... He's a GOAT, so I’m happy that I was there.”
Alcaraz is seeded No. 2 behind Jannik Sinner — who advanced Monday
night with a 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 victory over 75th-ranked Arthur
Rinderknech — and is coming off a clay-court title at the Italian
Open a little more than a week ago. Alcaraz beat Sinner in the final
there.
Monday's result gave Alcaraz 28 wins in his past 30 matches on red
clay, including going 7 for 7 a year ago at Roland-Garros. One of
the losses came against Novak Djokovic in the gold-medal match at
last year's Paris Olympics, held at the same site as the French
Open.
Swiatek has slipped to No. 5 in the rankings, her first time out of
the top two spots in about three years. She hasn't reached a final
at any tournament since collecting her third consecutive
championship — and fourth in five years — in Paris in 2024.
[to top of second column] |
Italy's Jannik Sinner hits a forehand against France's Arthur
Rinderknech during their first round match of the French Tennis
Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Monday, May 26, 2025.
(AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
The 23-year-old from Poland extended her French
Open unbeaten streak to 22 matches and is trying to become the first
woman with four trophies in a row at the tournament in the
professional era, which began in 1968. Monica Seles and Justine
Henin also won three straight titles at Roland-Garros.
What else happened at the French Open on Monday?
Two highly seeded Americans who made career-best runs at the U.S.
Open last September bowed out quickly in Paris: No. 4 Taylor Fritz,
the runner-up to Sinner in New York, and No. 9 Emma Navarro, a
semifinalist at Flushing Meadows.
Fritz lost 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to 66th-ranked Daniel Altmaier of
Germany. The big-serving Fritz was broken five times and saw the end
of his 15-match Grand Slam winning streak against opponents ranked
outside the top 50.
Navarro was eliminated 6-0, 6-1 in just 57 minutes by Jessica Bouzas
Maneiro of Spain. Bouzas Maneiro's biggest win of her career also
came in the first round at a Grand Slam tournament: She beat
reigning champion Marketa Vondrousova in the first round of
Wimbledon last year.
Also on the way out Monday: Four-time major champion Naomi Osaka,
who was in tears after her three-set loss to No. 10 Paula Badosa.
Who is playing at Roland-Garros on Tuesday?
The Day 3 schedule includes past major title winners Djokovic, Coco
Gauff, Daniil Medvedev and Sofia Kenin, and runners-up such as
Alexander Zverev and Jessica Pegula.
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