Women’s first round popcorn: Osaka set for seed showdown

Naomi Osaka v Paula Badosa (10)

Expect a packed crowd for this superstar duo.

Spain’s Paula Badosa has re-established herself at the very top table of the WTA, breaking back into the top 10 for the first time in three years following a semi-final run at the Australian Open.

Over the net will be the resurgent Naomi Osaka, who has openly said that clay is not her preferred platform for major glory. However, the four-time Grand Slam champion won the WTA 125K Saint-Malo title on French clay at the start of the month.

“Kinda ironic to win my first trophy back on the surface that I thought was my worst. That’s one of my favourite things about life though,” Osaka said on Instagram. “There’s always room to grow and evolve.”

Badosa will need to be ultra sharp to fend off her soaring opponent.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Zheng Qinwen (8)

Zheng Qinwen will be delighted to be back on golden grounds, where she topped the podium at the Paris Olympics last summer.

The Chinese star will hope to replicate that form at Roland-Garros 2025 and is facing an opponent who also knows what it takes to succeed on the terre battue.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has bundles of experience as well as a runners-up spot at RG 2021 to call upon.

On top of that, former No.11 Pavlyuchenkova won their only previous meeting 7-5, 6-1 on the hard courts of Cincinnati last August.

Karolina Muchova (14) v Alycia Parks

Czech all-court queen Karolina Muchova has also experienced a deep run at Roland-Garros.

At RG2023 the world No.14 outmanoeuvred Aryna Sabalenka to book a maiden major final, where she pushed Iga Swiatek to the brink in a three-set thriller.

To get past Muchova an opponent needs an abundance of power and the USA's Alycia Parks never shies away from taking the game to her opponent.

The American, yet to advance beyond the first round in Paris, relishes the big stage and will welcome the chance to show her full potential against Muchova.

Yanina Wickmayer v Victoria Azarenka

Welcome back to former world No.12 Yanina Wickmayer. The Belgian has returned from maternity leave and defied a series of back issues to launch into action in 2025.

A US Open semi-finalist in 2009, the 35-year-old will need all her major knowhow when she takes on two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka.

Of the two fierce competitors, Azarenka holds a 2-0 record in their battles, most recently winning 7-5, 6-4 at the US Open - although that was a decade ago.

There will be no free points here; the victor will have to dictate play for that opening win.

Victoria Mboko (Q) vs Lulu Sun

All eyes will be on 18-year-old Canadian qualifier Victoria Mboko as she takes the court for her Grand Slam main draw debut against New Zealand’s Lulu Sun. 

The world No.122, who took a set from Coco Gauff two weeks ago in Rome, steered her way  through three qualifying matches without dropping a set. She’s an explosive young talent, but she’ll have to be a problem solver against 45th-ranked Sun, the crafty southpaw who stormed to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon last year.

Sun is also making her main draw debut in Paris.