Jack Draper faces a tough challenge at the French Open as he aims to build on a breakthrough clay-court season and finally secure his first win at Roland Garros. Seeded fifth, Draper opens his campaign against the Italian left-hander Mattia Bellucci, ranked No. 68, who is also 23 years old. Draper’s draw is difficult, with a possible quarter-final clash against Jannik Sinner looming, and a career-best run could see him meet the top seed in the last eight.
Draper has made impressive progress on clay in recent weeks, a surface where he previously had little top-level experience. He reached his first clay final at a Masters 1000 event in Madrid, eventually losing to Casper Ruud, before following that with a strong quarter-final showing at the Italian Open in Rome, which is known for its slower conditions. Draper’s history at Roland Garros, however, has been less encouraging. In 2023, he retired in the first round due to injury and missed Wimbledon that year. Last year, he lost in the opening round.
Emma Raducanu also faces a challenging path in the women’s draw. The British No. 1 will start against world No. 42 Xinyu Wang from China. If Raducanu advances, she is likely to meet the three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek in the second round, a daunting prospect given Swiatek’s dominance at Roland Garros. Raducanu has been showing signs of improvement on clay recently but suffered an injury scare during the Strasbourg tournament. After an impressive victory over No. 17 seed Daria Kasatkina her first top-20 win on clay Raducanu was forced to retire in the next match due to back spasms. Despite this, her team has confirmed she is in good condition and ready for the Grand Slam in Paris.
Jannik Sinner, who returns to Roland Garros after serving a three-month anti-doping ban, will face local hope Arthur Rinderknech in the first round. Novak Djokovic, seeded sixth and recently turned 38, begins his quest to revive his season against Mackenzie McDonald of the United States. Djokovic is in the same half of the draw as Sinner and could potentially meet Alexander Zverev, the third seed, in the quarter-finals if he can regain form on the clay courts. In the bottom half, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz opens against veteran Kei Nishikori, a former world No. 4 and three-time Roland Garros quarter-finalist.
The women’s draw raises major questions about Iga Swiatek’s attempt to make history by winning a record fourth consecutive French Open title, and fifth overall. Swiatek has struggled in what has been her most challenging clay-court season since first reaching No. 1, not winning any title since last year’s French Open victory. After falling to No. 5 in the WTA rankings following a third-round loss in Rome, she faces a tough draw. Swiatek could have met Aryna Sabalenka or Coco Gauff as early as the quarter-finals but is instead projected to play Jasmine Paolini, the fourth seed and recent Italian Open champion, in the quarters, with a potential semi-final against Sabalenka awaiting her.
Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed, opens her tournament against Kamilla Rakhimova, while Coco Gauff, a finalist in Madrid and Rome, begins her run against Australia’s Olivia Gadecki. The women’s draw is stacked with talent and promises exciting matchups throughout.
Several British players will also be competing at Roland Garros. Katie Boulter faces a qualifier as she seeks her first main draw win in Paris, Jodie Burrage takes on the in-form Danielle Collins, and Sonay Kartal will challenge Erika Andreeva. In the men’s draw, British No. 2 Jacob Fearnley makes his French Open debut against 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, while Cameron Norrie has a tough first-round match against Daniil Medvedev, the 11th seed.
Overall, the draws for both men and women promise a thrilling tournament filled with high stakes, potential breakthroughs, and challenging paths for some of the game’s brightest talents. Draper and Raducanu face especially difficult roads but could make significant strides if they navigate the challenges ahead.
