Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcaraz Cruise into French Open 2nd Round

26 May at 12:16 pm

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Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcaraz Cruise into French Open Second Round/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Reigning French Open champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz both advanced with straight-set wins. Swiatek defeated Rebecca Sramkova, while Alcaraz toppled qualifier Giulio Zeppieri. Both players honored Rafael Nadal’s farewell on Sunday before beginning their campaigns.

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz returns the ball to Italy’s Giulio Zeppieri during their first round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Roland-Garros Title Defenders Quick Looks

Swiatek’s Streak Continues: Extended French Open win streak to 22 matches
Alcaraz Unstoppable: Wins 28 of last 30 matches on clay
Next Opponent: Swiatek to face Emma Raducanu in round two
Tribute to Rafa: Both players wore “Merci Rafa” shirts at Nadal’s farewell
Other Highlights: Emma Navarro upset by Spain’s Bouzas Maneiro
Coming Tuesday: Djokovic, Gauff, Medvedev, Pegula, and more to debut

Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Manero reacts as she plays Emma Navarro of the U.S. during their first round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Deep Look: Swiatek, Alcaraz Shine in Roland-Garros Title Defenses

The 2025 French Open is underway in Paris, and both reigning champions wasted no time asserting their dominance. Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz—two of the sport’s brightest stars—moved comfortably into the second round on Monday, fueling hopes of another deep run at Roland-Garros.

Swiatek Smooth, Eyes Rare Four-Peat

Opening the day’s action on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Iga Swiatek looked calm and composed in her 6-3, 6-3 win over Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova. Despite a turbulent season and recent slip to world No. 5, the Polish star struck 25 winners and kept unforced errors to a minimum in the 84-minute contest.

Swiatek, 23, is chasing a fourth consecutive French Open title—a feat unmatched in the Open era. She shares the current record of three straight wins with legends Monica Seles and Justine Henin. Her next opponent? 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in what promises to be a must-watch second-round clash.

Reflecting on Sunday’s farewell tribute to Rafael Nadal, Swiatek was emotional.

“He’s a GOAT. I’m just happy I was there,” she said, still moved by the ceremony.

Alcaraz Makes a Statement

Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed and recent Italian Open champion, delivered a statement win over Giulio Zeppieri of Italy. The Spaniard needed just under two hours for a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, holding serve in all 14 service games and saving all break points faced.

Alcaraz, 22, is riding a red-hot streak on clay with 28 wins in his last 30 matches on the surface. The only blemishes: losses to Novak Djokovic and in the Olympic final on the very grounds of Roland-Garros.

“Really proud about my start,” Alcaraz said post-match.

Wearing a “Merci Rafa” shirt the day before, the Spanish phenom continues to draw comparisons to Rafael Nadal—and so far, he’s delivering on that legacy.

Early Shocker: Navarro Falls

In the day’s biggest surprise, ninth-seeded Emma Navarro crashed out in just 57 minutes. The American, a 2024 U.S. Open semifinalist, was overwhelmed by Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-0, 6-1. It marked Bouzas Maneiro’s second career major upset, following her first-round stunner over Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova last year.