Day 2 of the 2025 French Open promises to be a blockbuster, with several of the sport’s biggest names set to take the court. Defending champions Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek will headline the action, joined by World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, all looking to lay down early markers in their title bids.
Sinner enters the tournament as the top seed after making his return from a three-month doping ban with a successful runner-up finish at the Italian Open, while Alcaraz arrives in Paris fresh off a triumphant run in Rome.
On the women’s side, Swiatek chases a record-breaking fourth straight title at Roland Garros. She will aim to begin her campaign on a strong note despite her struggles.
While the spotlight shines on the favorites, early-round surprises are never out of the question on the Parisian clay. With several tricky matchups scheduled for Day 2, here’s a look at potential upset alerts.
Trending
5. Paula Badosa
Paula Badosa will take on the ever-dangerous Naomi Osaka in a blockbuster first-round clash at the French Open. Badosa, the World No. 10, however, is not in great form.
The Spaniard withdrew from the Madrid Open and the Italian Open due to injury in the lead-up to Roland Garros. She has played only two matches on clay in Strasbourg, winning one and losing the other.
Meanwhile, Osaka is on an upward trajectory in her clay exploits. The Japanese faced a shocking first-round exit in Madrid, but soon after, she decided to play a WTA 125 event in Saint-Malo and won it. She also reached the fourth round at the Italian Open.
Now ranked World No. 49, Osaka is steadily finding her rhythm on the surface and could very well pull off the upset against Badosa.
4. Daria Kasatkina
Daria Kasatkina faces a potentially tricky first-round matchup at Roland Garros against Katerina Siniakova. Both players come into the tournament struggling for consistency.
Kasatkina, who recently changed her nationality to Australia, has been out of sorts lately. Her lopsided loss to Emma Raducanu in Strasbourg (6-1, 6-3) was the latest in a string of disappointing results.
Siniakova, while better known for her doubles accolades, has the tools to disrupt Kasatkina’s rhythm. Her singles form has also been patchy, but she has shown she can raise her level on the big stages. Notably, she beat Kasatkina the last time they played on clay, in Hamburg in 2022.
While Kasatkina holds the overall edge in their head-to-head, this is a classic upset alert at the French Open: two unpredictable players, both out of form, with Siniakova having proven she can win this matchup on clay.
3. Jiri Lehecka
Jiri Lehecka has had a difficult clay-court season, with early exits in several tournaments. He was seeded at the Madrid Open and was ousted in his campaign opener. The Czech player was unseeded at the Italian Open and lost again in his campaign opener. Later, he reached the quarterfinals at the Hamburg Open.
Jordan Thompson, on the other hand, has been steadily improving on clay. He has defeated Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard twice this season on clay, but has faced issues with injuries. However, wanting to make an impact on his return, the World No. 40 could pose a potential threat to Lehecka at the French Open.
2. Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu has shown flashes of brilliance on clay, notably defeating Daria Kasatkina in Strasbourg. However, her inconsistency and recent back issues raise concerns about her readiness.
Speaking to the BBC, a few days before her French Open campaign opener, Raducanu was still unsure about her fitness.
"It feels OK, it feels good, not 100% yet, but we're working towards that. I still have a couple of days," Raducanu said.
Wang Xinyu, meanwhile, has been steadily improving, with some good performances leading up to Roland Garros. Her aggressive baseline game could pose significant challenges for Raducanu. If the Brit is not at her physical best, Wang has a strong chance to capitalize and secure a victory.
1. Arthur Fils
Arthur Fils, the young French talent, faces a stern test against Chile's Nicolas Jarry. While Fils has shown promise this season, he has not been too far away from unexpected early losses.
Jarry, known for his powerful serve, is a strong player on clay. All seven of his singles finals and three titles have come on clay, including a runner-up finish at the Italian Open last year. The 29-year-old Chilean's experience sets the stage for an intriguing battle at the French Open.
