Key occasions
Seb Korda, somebody I assumed can be higher than he’s by now, is nearly dwelling: he leads Smurf Darderi 6-2 4-6 6-3 5-1. Again on Chatrier, Sramkova is in hassle, down 6-3 4-3 0-40, whereas Raducanu has two factors for a double-break … and he or she takes the second. That’s six video games out of seven, and he or she leads 3-0 within the third.
Subsequent on Mathieu: Daniel Altmaier v Taylor Fritz (4).
Raducanu holds for 2-0 within the third and I’d not be shocked if she breaks once more; Wang, you are feeling, should maintain to have an opportunity.
Casper Ruud (7) beats Albert Ramos-Vinolas (Q) 6-3 6-4 6-2
A great win and efficiency from the twice-beaten finalist; subsequent for him, it’s Nuno Borges, and that might be a very good match.
Oh pricey. All that effort and Wang is damaged to like within the opening recreation of the decider, Raducanu collaring a second serve with a forehand return down the road. On Lenglen, meantime, Alcaraz serves out for a 6-3 lead in opposition to Zeppieri and Swiatek breaks Sramkov aback for 6-3 3-3.
What’s it with these hooped Nike tops? Alcaraz seems to be like he forgot his package so needed to take no matter was left in misplaced property. From the corporate that gave you Agassi, it’s an inexplicable misstep.
All that effort and Raducanu can’t safe the maintain for 5-5; as a substitute, Wang vaporises a forehand, taking the second set 6-4, and we’ll quickly have a decider. Raducanu seems to be the higher, extra versatile participant, however can she play effectively sufficient for lengthy sufficient to see it out?
Alcaraz leads Zeppieri 4-2 and it doesn’t appear to be the younger(ish) Italian has a lot for him. In any other case, Ruud leads Ramos-Vinolas by two units and a break with Altmaier v Fritz subsequent up; Swiatek is on the board in set two, now main Sramkova 6-3 1-2; and Nishioka has retired, so Popyrin, up 7-5 6-4 1-2, strikes into spherical two the place he’ll face Tabilo or Cazaux, one in every of our picks to go lengthy, and at the moment the Chilean leads 5-7 6-3 2-1 with a break.
Speaking of Raducanu, she’s damaged Wang once more so we’re again on serve in set two at 7-5 4-5, and Sramkova can also be 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 will get it completed. Her skill to ship one of the best and the worst, usually one after the opposite, makes her harmful however weak, however she discovered a approach right here and would be the higher for it having not had a lot time to acclimatise. subsequent for her is Jovic, however there are a great deal of potential pitfalls in 1 / 4 of the draw that additionally consists of Raducanu, Ostapenko, Minnen and Swiatek.
Meantime, Raducanu holds for 3-5 within the second, forcing Wang to try to serve out the set a second time; Swiatek holds to safe a enjoyable and aggressive first set in opposition to Sramkova, 6-3.
Oh, Rybakina makes 15-40, Riera goes lengthy, and for the third time on this remaining set, she breaks; after a sit-down, she’ll serve for the match at 5-4 within the first.
Swiatek sticks away a volley that offers her her consolidation and a 5-3 first-set lead; Rybakina and Riera at the moment are 4-4 within the deicer; Alcaraz leads Zeppieri 2-1 on serve; Ruud leads Ramos-Vinolas 6-3 6-4 1-1; and Popyriun leads Nishioka 7-5 6-4 0-1.
What an uncommon athlete Emma Raducanu is, one of many least predictable gamers within the least predictable sport. I’ve by no means had the slightest clue what to anticipate from her, from level to level by no means thoughts from match to match and, as I sort, she retrieves one break having regarded devoid of power the earlier 20 minutes; she leads 7-5 2-5.
The gang chant “Elena” as Rybakina remonstrates with herself after Riera holds for 4-3; Swiatek breaks Sramkova for 4-3 and it is a actually high-level match, each gamers completely clouting it; Wang breaks Raducanu once more for 5-7 5-1.
Proper, Riera has damaged Rybakina again in set three – they’re at 3-3 – so I’ve switched from Alcaraz–Zeppieri to that.
Wang breaks Raducanu for 5-7 1-3 then finds herself down 15-40; a giant backhand and that’s quickly 30-40. Raducanu, although, fires an honest return … however Wang is there to deflect it into house. And from there, she closes out for 4-1 and is 2 video games away from forcing a decider.
I’ve moved Alcaraz to my telephone, so as to get a greater take a look at Sramkova 3-2 Swiatek. It’s a humorous factor, actually – I’m not that shocked the champ is struggling. In fact she’s a prime participant, however she by no means appeared fairly pretty much as good because the titles she was profitable – she ought actually to have misplaced to Osaka in final 12 months’s second spherical and my sense has at all times been that her recreation isn’t fairly large enough. I’m not saying she’s been discovered, however I do assume she might be hit via.
Alcaraz and Zeppieri are out on Lenglen; Srankova and Swiatek are 2-2; Rybakina has a break within the decider in opposition to Rier, main 2-1; Raducanu leads Wang 7-5 1-2; and Darderi has levelled at one set apiece in opposition to Korda.
Subsequent on Lenglen: Giulio Zeppieri v Carlos Alcaraz (2).
Properly, one thing labored: Raducanu serves out to like and leads Wang 7-5. Meantime, Riera has pressured a decider in opposition to Rybakina and I want I had one other display to look at that; I’ve swapped out Ruud 6-3 2-2 Ramos-Vinolas for Sramkova 1-0 Swiatek.
Bouzas Maneiro is pleased with how she performed and dealt with the strain. Final 12 months was powerful for her so she needed to convey her greatest, and he or she did.
She thinks something is feasible, tries to play her greatest each time she competes, and although she didn’t anticipate this rating, she’s comfortable.
Her crew requested her to win in two as she’s been taking part in loads of threes not too long ago, so is happy to get out and in inside an hour.
Earlier than looking for to serve out, Raducanu calls the coach for remedy on her left knee and quad; there’s ice concerned.
On Chateirer, Sramkova and Swiatek are leathering at one another from the again – already, this seems to be prefer it might be an honest contest.
Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro beats Emma Navarro (9) 6-0 6-1
An absolute devastation. Bouzas Maneiro’s forehand dominated this match, too highly effective and deep for Navarro to deal with and, particularly, she victimised her opponent’s second serve. Subsequent for her, Parry or Montgomery.
Er yeah, Bouzas Maneiro quickly makes 30-40 however strays extensive on match level and we transfer to 6-0 5-1 deuce; Raducanu breaks Wang a 3rd time for 6-5 however can she lastly maintain on to serve out the primary set? Meantime, Swiatek and Sramkova are out on Chatrier, whereas Riera has damaged Rybakina again to path 1-6 5-4.
Down 30-40, Bouzas Maneiro serves a double so Navarro, now on the board, salutes the group in self-mockery – this has been a chastening morning – and Wang does certainly break Raducanu again for 5-5 within the first.
Serving for the set at 5-4, Raducanu finds herself down 0-30, however performs the subsequent rally rather well … solely to thwack a backhand into the online with the court docket open. A wonderful backhand down the road and into the nook retrieves the primary break-back level, although, whereas, on Lenglen, Bouzas Maneiro is serving for the double-bagel at 6-0 5-0, on which level the aforementioned focaccia just isn’t prepared. Horrible parenting.
Ah, Ruud serves out for a 6-3 set. Ramos-Vinolas pushed him arduous there, so he’ll be happy with the best way he performed – he’s hitting it effectively and dealt with the details with composure. Ruud, after all, made the ultimate in 2022 and 2023 – and the ultimate in New York that first 12 months – however is a kind of gamers you assume will, in each Slam, finally play somebody capable of attain a stage he can’t.
Raducanu holds for 5-3 and, although Wang isn’t making it straightforward for herm she has the measure of the competition now. In any other case, Ruud is serving for the set in opposition to Ramos-Vinolas, up 5-3; Rybakina leads Riera 6-1 3-2 with a break; Blanchey leads Gaston 6-2 0-2; Popyrin leads Nishioka 7-5; Cazaux has damaged Tabilo again to path 4-; and Korda leads Darderi 6-2 2-3 with a break.
Poor Emma Navarro. Not is she attempting to make spherical two, she’s attempting to keep away from the double bagel – bagelayim because the Hebrew ought to however doesn’t name it. She’s damaged but once more, the facility and accuracy of Bouzas Maneiro’s hitting approach an excessive amount of; at 0-6 0-3, she’s working out of time to keep away from the final word embarrassment.
Raducanu is getting nowt for nowt, pressured to 30-all as she seeks her endorsement. From there, although, she does effectively to shut out for 4-2, whereas Bouzas Maneiro breaks Navarra firstly of srt two for 6-0 1-0. That is an absolute tousing … up to now.
Inside-out backhand to the nook … and Wang can’t management her response. Raducanu breaks once more, for 3-2, and may she maintain on to it this time?
Again on Lenglen, Bouzas Maneiro completes her bagel, which jogs my memory my 11-year-old is downstairs making focaccia. It doesn’t but scent like my intervention is required, however I suppose I ought to remind her that I’m hungry.
Bouzas Maneiro is throughout Navarro – once I started typing it was 4-0, now it’s 5-0. It’s not precisely a clay-court factor both; slightly, she’s clouting the fuzz off it.
Elsewhere, Ruud leads Ramos-Vinolas 4-1; Rybakina leads Riera 6-1; Nishioka leads Popyrin 4-3 on serve; Tabilo leads Cazaux 4-1 in a match that would go lengthy; Korda leads Darderi 6-2 1-0; and Raducanu, 2-2 with Wang, has two break factors.
I’m unsure if everybody’s attempting to camouflage with the clay, however there are loads of clay-coloured rigs on present this morning. Extra information as I get it.
A well-directed serve saves Raducanu a break level. However on deuce she goes lengthy with a moon ball, then a double, the second a part of which was one of many worst serves you’ll ever see, and Wang is on the board at 1-1. Meantime, Bouzas Maneiro breaks Navarro a second time to guide 3-0 and on 7, Blanchet, a qualifier, leads Gaston 4-0.
Elsewhere, Rybakina leads Riera 3-0 and Korda leads Darderi 3-1. I believe there’s a good likelihood it’s simply me who calls him Smurf, dardas being smurf in Hebrew.
A backhand winner down the road raises two break factors for Bouzas Maneiro … each saved by Navarro. So to deuce we go and so they’re completely zetzing it now, Bouzas Maneiro changing her second benefit for 1-0. Already, this seems to be like a belting tussle whereas, on Court docket 8, Wang is serving having come again from 0-30 right down to deuce. As I sort, although, Raducanu punishes a return then a swing-volley for benefit, Wang then swipes extensive, and that’s a break too.
Emma Navarro is aware of herself. This final 12 months, she’s gone deeper in all 4 Slams than ever earlier than – the final eight on the Aussie Open and Wimbledon, spherical 4 in Paris and the semis in New York – in addition to her highest rating, eight. I’m not sure she’s the weapons to beat one of the best on the most important events, however she’s at one along with her recreation and a critically harmful match-player.
Bouzas Maneiro, although, is aware of tips on how to play on clay and can also be settled into herself – final 12 months, she binned Marketa Vondrousova, the defending champion, at Wimbledon – and this ought to be a enjoyable tussle.
So the place can we begin? Good query. However concern not, I’ll now cease responding to myself and say I’ll be watching Raducanu v Wang, Bouzas Maneiro v Navarro and Ruud v Ramos-Vinolas. To start with…
Preamble
Salut et bienvenue à Roland-Garros 2025 – deuxième jour!
A completely indecent amount of stupendous tennis awaits us as we speak – a lot in order that it’s arduous to know the place to start out, however we’ll do our greatest!
The match of the day comes second on Chatrier, the place Naomi Osaka takes on Paula Badosa – I’d not need to be a ball in that one. Earlier than that, although, we’ll see Iga Świątek, going for an unprecedented fourth title in a row however horribly out of confidence, together with Emma Navarro, seeded 9, in opposition to the canny Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Then, later within the day, Katie Boulter begins her marketing campaign in opposition to the qualifier, Carole Monnet; Madison Keys, the US Open champion – and what a thrill it’s to sort these phrases – takes on Daria Saville; whereas Elena Rybakina, Daria Kasatkina and Barbora Krejcikova are additionally in motion.
And goodness me, that isn’t it – in actual fact that’s so removed from it, it’s barely attainable to course of. As a result of coming proper up are Jelena Ostapenko, Emma Raducanu v Wang Xiyu and Danielle Collins v Jodie Burrage – earlier than we even check out the boys’s competitors.
Which after all is popping too. Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion will get again concerned; Taylor Fritz, seeded 4, faces a nasty opener in opposition to Daniel Altmaier; Holger Rune, seeded 10, meets Roberto Bautista Agut; Jacob Fearnley encounters Stan Wawrinka; with Stefanos Tsitsipas, Arthur Fils, Seb Korda and Casper Ruud all drawn in opposition to difficult opponents.
On y va!
Play: 11am native, 10am BST; Chatrier 12pm native, 11am BST.
