Paris: Iga Swiatek kicked off her French Open 2026 campaign with a powerful performance on Monday, easily defeating Australian teenager Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-2 in exactly one hour to move into the second round at Roland Garros.
The third seed quickly demonstrated why she is a top player on clay courts, racing through the first eight points of the match and breaking Jones without dropping a point. Swiatek ended the match with a total of 17 winners, closing it out with a signature forehand on her second match point.
This match showcased the significant experience difference between the two players. Seventeen-year-old Jones, ranked No. 136 in the world, was playing her first professional clay-court match at any level. Before Roland Garros, the Australian had competed only on hard courts this season after reaching the semifinals of last year’s girls’ tournament in Paris.
In contrast, Swiatek entered the tournament as one of the best clay players of her generation, having already won 10 titles on the surface, including four French Open titles. This victory improved her career record on clay at the tour level to an impressive 107-18.
Even with the one-sided score, Jones showed glimpses of her talent. She hit just five winners throughout the match but took advantage of two shaky service games from Swiatek to break her in each set. Yet, whenever Jones posed a challenge, Swiatek quickly raised her game.
After losing an early break in the first set, the Pole regained control and went on a seven-game run to take a 3-0 lead in the second set. Four of those games were won without Jones scoring as Swiatek consistently overpowered her with speed, depth, and precision.
Jones briefly stopped Swiatek’s momentum by holding serve to cut the lead to 3-2 in the second set. However, she couldn’t get to another game point as Swiatek finished the match with another three-game run.
This result also reinforced Swiatek’s remarkable Grand Slam first-round record, which now stands at 28 wins and just one loss. Her only first-round defeat at a major came against Viktorija Golubic at Wimbledon in 2019.
Jones has now appeared in three Grand Slam main draws — all receiving wild cards — and has yet to win a set at that level. However, she has faced top competition each time, having previously lost to Elena Rybakina and Victoria Mboko at the Australian Open.
Swiatek’s next opponent will be Sara Bejlek, who advanced by defeating former US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-2.
Elina Svitolina had to overcome a difficult first round test as she came back from a set down to beat Anna Bondar 3-6 6-1 7-6(3) in two hours and 26 minutes of compelling tennis at Roland Garros.
The win ensured that the World No. 7 progresses to the second round at Roland Garros for a 13th consecutive year, while ending a three-match losing streak against Bondar in what has become an unlikely narrative, but in many ways, the most intriguing repeat match-up on the WTA Tour.
Monday's match was the fifth time the two women had met in the space of 12 months, with four of these encounters coming at Grand Slams. In spite of the difference in their rankings, Svitolina has found Bondar to be a consistent irritant in the last 12 months and the evolving rivalry is perhaps one of the more curious stories in women's tennis.
Svitolina will next meet the qualifier Kaitlin Quevedo, making her Grand Slam main draw debut and currently on a nine-match winning streak following her title triumph in ITF 100 Saint-Gaudens and success through qualification for this tournament.
Elsewhere, 13th seed Paolini delivered a composed performance to overcome Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 40 minutes, overcoming a brief mid-match surge from her opponent to secure a straight-sets win.
Swiss star Stan Wawrinka bid an emotional farewell to the French Open on as the 2015 champion bowed out of what is expected to be his final French Open campaign after a four-set first-round defeat to Dutchman Jesper de Jong.
The Swiss veteran, who has already indicated that he plans to retire at the end of the season, was hoping for one final memorable run on the Paris clay where he famously lifted the title a decade ago. Instead, his campaign came to an end in front of an emotional crowd on Court Simonne Mathieu.
Wawrinka went down 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 in a contest that lasted just over three hours, but the scoreline only told part of the story as fans repeatedly rose to celebrate one of the most admired figures of his generation.
In other matches, Ugo Humbert beat Adrian Mannarino 6-3 6-4 6-3, Hubert Hurkacz beat Jaume Munar 6-3 6-3 2-6 6-3, Camilo Ugo Carabelli beat Emilio Nava 7-6 6-3 6-3, Mariano Navone beat Jenson Brooksby 6-4 6-4 6-4, Alexde Minaur beat Toby Samuel 6-4 6-4 6-2.
In women’s section, 2nd seed Elena Rybakina beat Veronika Erjavec 6-2 6-2, 6th seed Amanda Anisimova beat Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah 6-3 6-1, Viktorija Golubic beat Panna Udvardy 6-0 6-2, Kaitlin Quevedo beat Leolia Jeanjean 7-6 7-6, Anastasia Potapova beat Maya Joint 6-1 6-2. Agencies
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