French Open 2025: Swiatek begins title defence with straight-sets win, to face Raducanu in second round
French Open 2025: Swiatek begins title defence with straight-sets win, to face Raducanu in second round
Iga Swiatek launched her bid for a fourth straight Roland Garros title on Monday with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova.
Swiatek extended her winning run at Roland Garros to 22 matches but has dropped to fifth in the world after a year-long trophy drought.
The Pole broke for a 4-3 lead after a lengthy seventh game, and then again to wrap up the opening set on Court Philippe Chatrier.
She fell 2-0 behind to start the second but got back on serve before securing another break to beat the 42nd-ranked Sramkova in straight sets for the second Grand Slam in a row.
Former US Open winner Emma Raducanu made a winning return to Roland Garros on Monday as she beat Wang Xinyu in three sets to set up a second round clash with Swiatek.
The 22-year-old Briton overcame her Chinese opponent 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in her first appearance at the French Open since 2022.
Raducanu fell in the second round three years ago in her only previous appearance at the tournament, and will face a stern test if she is to better her Roland Garros record this time around.
Swiatek holds a 4-0 record over Raducanu, with her most recent victory a bruising 6-1, 6-0 win in the third round of the Australian Open in January.
