Key events
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
