ROLAND-GARROS
20 May - 9 June 2024
As it happened: May 28
And we're off. The 2023 edition of Roland-Garros kicks off today. Follow along as we bring you all the updates.
© Philippe Montigny/FFT11:10pm Dasha through in straights
Last year's semi-finalist Daria Kasatkina closed out opening day of Roland-Garros with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Germany's Jule Nieimeier.
The No.9 seed awaits the winners of Monday's clash between former finalist Marketa Vondrousova or American Alycia Parks.
10:00pm JPeg untroubled
American No.3 seed Jessica Pegula cruised past her compatriot, former Australian Open finalist, Danielle Collins 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 22 minutes on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.
Pegula has reached the quarter-finals and four of the last five Grand Slams and will be looking to break through that last-eight barrier in Paris this fortnight.
Her next test comes against Italian big-hitter Camila Giorgi in the second round.
8:30pm Andrey gets it done
He was made to work but No.7 seed Andrey Rublev managed to squeeze past a battling Laslo Djere 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 32 minutes. He next takes on lefty Corentin Moutet.
7:36pm Rublev leading two-sets-to-one
Andrey Rublev is 12-3 on clay this season - including a title in Monte-Carlo - and is 3-0 against Laslo Djere in previous meetings but the No.7 seed is facing stiff competition from his Serbian opponent today.
They've split the first two sets but Rublev has inched ahead, taking the third for a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 lead.
7:40pm Italians advance
No.17 seed Lorenzo Musetti and world No.106 Matteo Arnaldi both punched their tickets to the second round with wins over Elias Ymer and Daniel Elahi Galan, respectively.
The 22-year-old Arnaldi is making his Grand Slam main draw debut, while Musetti famously led Novak Djokovic by two sets in the fourth round here in Paris in 2021 before retiring in the fifth set. The 21-year-old avenged that defeat last month when he ousted Djokovic from the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Monday order of play released
A great schedule of matches is in store for Day 2, with Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Caroline Garcia, Jannik Sinner, Petra Kvitova and many more stars set to begin their Roland-Garros 2023 campaigns.
5:22pm Muchova does it again
Just as she did in the second round in Paris last year, Karolina Muchova was responsible for Maria Sakkari's departure from the tournament once again, eliminating the Greek No.8 seed 7-6(5), 7-5 in their opener on Sunday.
Sakkari saved three match points but faltered on the fourth as Muchova extended her unbeaten record against the Greek to 3-0 at tour level.
5:14pm Sakkari saves two match points
The No.8 seed is battling hard against Muchova, and had to save two match points to hold for 6-7(5), 5-5. That sharp-angled cross-court backhand from Sakkari was bold!
4:22pm Sakkari drops the opening set
No.8 seed Maria Sakkari lost a 66-minute first set to the always dangerous Karolina Muchova on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. Muchova ended Sakkari's Roland-Garros campaign in the second round last year and is 2-0 overall against the Greek.
3:58pm Stef battles through
World No.5 Stefanos Tsisipas saved four set points in the fourth set and had to dig deep to stave off Czech lefty Jiri Vesely 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(7) and book a second-round meeting with Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena.
3:00pm Khachanov completes comeback
No.11 seed Karen Khachanov escaped the upset, coming back from two-sets-to-love down to overcome home favourite Constant Lestienne 3-6, 1-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 and book a second-round meeting with Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot.
Over on Court Philippe-Chatrier, No.5 seed Tsitsipas has dropped the third set to Vesely.
©Julien Crosnier / FFT2:50pm Hurkacz survives Goffin
Polish No.13 seed Hubert Hurkacz came through a tough five-set battle, needing 3hr 37min to make it past David Goffin and set up a second round against Tallon Griekspoor, who was also a five-set winner over Spanish qualifier Pedro Martinez.
Hurkacz posted a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 result to reach the last 64 in Paris for the third time in six appearances.
1:34pm Tsitsipas grabs opening set
Vesely led 4-2 and served for the first set at 5-4 but it is Tsitsipas who has taken a 7-5 lead in 49 minutes. The Greek No.5 seed won 93% of his first-serve points in that set.
Hubi a set away
No.13 seed Hubert Hurkacz is engaged in a tight tussle with David Goffin on Court Simonne-Mathieu. Hurkacz is leading the Belgian 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 but is down a break 0-2 in the fourth.
This is a rematch of their third round from last year here at Roland-Garros, which Hurkacz won in straight sets, just a couple of weeks after Goffin has defeated the Pole in Rome.
© Nicolas Gouhier/FFT1:24pm Tsitsipas strikes back
Serving for the opening set at 5-4, Vesely falls behind 0-40 and Tsitsipas gets the break on a netted volley from his opponent. Back on level terms in the opening set, 5-5.
1:08pm Tsitsipas down an early break
No.5 seed and 2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas is trailing Czech lefty Jiri Vesely 2-4 in the first set of their opening match.
The 29-year-old Vesely is playing his first tour-level tournament since last year’s US Open. The Czech lefty has dropped to No.455 in the world rankings after being sidelined with a left hamstring injury dating back to April 2022. He’s played in two Challengers since returning last month. He has a protected ranking of No.94.
© Loïc Wacziak/FFT12:36pm Upset alert
No.11 seed Karen Khachanov, who made the semi-finals at the last two Grand Slams, is down 3-6, 1-6, to world No.70 Constant Lestienne.
The 31-year-old home favourite is competing in just his second Grand Slam main draw and first in Paris.
Fun fact from the ATP match notes: Lestienne's "secret talent is that he is a magician when he is not playing tennis, performing at weddings and parties".
12:20pm Sabalenka downs Kostyuk
No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka passed her Roland-Garros opening test with flying colours, defeating Ukrainian world No.39 Marta Kostyuk, 6-3, 6-2 to move into the second round.
Sabalenka, who has never made it into the second week in Paris, has a chance of unseating Iga Swiatek at the top of the rankings this fortnight.
The 25-year-old will next take on Panna Udvardy or Iryna Shymanovich.
Meanwhile, Kostyuk's record against top-10 opponents falls to 0-14 win-loss.
11:54pm We have a first winner of the tournament!
Poland's Magdalena Frech is our first winner of the day. The 25-year-old earned a 6-1, 6-1 victory over China's No.29 seed Zhang Shuai.
Frech needed just 47 minutes to wrap up the victory, her first in the main draw in Paris since 2018.
Happy RG Day 1, everyone!
Bonjour a tous! It's 21 degrees, the sun is out, and it's official Day 1 of Roland-Garros 2023.
We have a great Sunday schedule, which starts with world No.2 and reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka taking on Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk.
Here's some essential reading material as opening day gets going.
>> DAY 1 PREVIEW: THREE TO WATCH
>> SABALENKA: I'M READY TO BE NO.1
>> INTERVIEW: SAKKARI OUT OF THE DARK AND INTO A BLOCKBUSTER