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Roland-Garros wrap - Sat May 31

Around the grounds at the Porte D'Auteuil venue as third round singles matches are completed

Coco Gauff, Roland-Garros 2025, third round
©Amélie Laurin / FFT

Lift-off for second seed Coco Gauff

 - Lee Goodall

Saturday will be remembered for the fireworks on the clay - and at the end of the day for the celebratory car horns and pyrotechnics in the surrounding streets too. Fans of Roland-Garros neighbours Paris Saint-Germain created a carnival atmosphere in this corner of the French capital, celebrating into the early hours after their ‘PSG’ footballing heroes were crowned champions of Europe by thumping Inter Milan 5-0 in Munich.

Day 7 at the Paris major - indeed the entire first week - will also stand out for the quality and dominance of the women’s top seeds, all of whom have looked very strong during the opening seven days.

Wins on Saturday for Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Mirra Andreeva and Madison Keys means that for the first time since 2003 in Paris all top eight seeds have reached the last 16.

While it was relatively comfortable for second seed Gauff and Andreeva the No.6 seed, things were more complicated for Pegula and Keys during Saturday afternoon.

Third seed Pegula needed three sets to beat former finalist Marketa Vondrousova while Keys saved three match points before scrambling past another player to have featured in an RG final, Sofia Kenin, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

In one of the most anticipated women’s matches of the day Daria Kasatkina - representing Australia for the first time at a major - beat Spain’s Paula Badosa 6-1, 7-5.

The world No.361 Lois Boisson, meanwhile, became the toast of local fans as she beat fellow French player and wild card Elsa Jacquemot 6-3, 0-6, 7-5 to reach the fourth round. The 22-year-old is the lowest-ranked player in the last 16 in Paris - excluding those with ‘protected rankings’ - in the last 40 years.

It was a day when the big names eased through in the men’s draw too with top seed Jannik Sinner the most impressive during a 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 beatdown for his opponent Jiri Lehecka. It is the Italian’s 17th successive Grand Slam victory.

British world No.5 Jack Draper produced an equally impressive match to outplay Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 on Lenglen.

And three-time champion Novak Djokovic blocked out the nearby fireworks from celebrating PSG fans during the night session to cruise past Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Looking ahead to Sunday and things start to get really serious. We’ve got eight fourth round matches across the two biggest show courts with all involved aiming for quarterfinal spots.

Lorenzo Musetti has been Mr Consistent during the 2025 clay swing now he’s enjoying greater clarity on court and takes on Holger Rune in what should be a firecracker of a Sunday night session.

All eyes during the day will surely be on Ben Shelton’s meeting with Carlos Alcaraz. Shelton is one of many pros that have come through the US college system and ahead of that match Victoria Chiesa took a closer look at why those institutions seem to provide the perfect environment for player development.

Ben Shelton, Roland-Garros 2025, third round
©Julien Crosnier / FFT

Ben Shelton

Dan Imhoff tracked down another player on the Day 8 order of play sheet - Alexei Popyrin - who faces Tommy Paul for a berth in the last eight. The 25th seed from Australia explained why he feels better prepared this time around ahead of his second fourth round match at a major.

And in the women’s draw can in-form Elena Rybakina end Iga Swiatek’s 24-match win streak a day after the Pole’s 24th birthday. That’s got to be the pick of the women’s fourth round contests on Sunday.

It’s another jam-packed schedule so why not let Alix Ramsay guide you through the day’s play ready for an 11am start across all courts.