PARIS – Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek made an emphatic start to her Roland Garros campaign on Monday with a dominant straight-sets victory, while former champion Stan Wawrinka brought the curtain down on his French Open journey with an emotional first-round defeat. Swiatek, seeking her seventh Grand Slam title, looked sharp and confident on her favourite clay surface as she brushed aside Australia’s Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-2 to book her place in the second round. The Polish star has endured an inconsistent season by her high standards, but her return to Paris appeared to immediately revive her rhythm and authority on clay. “I’m really happy with the way I played,” Swiatek said after the match. “It was a solid performance from the beginning to the end, and it felt good to be back on this court.”
While Swiatek enjoyed a comfortable afternoon, China’s Zheng Qinwen suffered a surprise exit after falling 6-4, 6-0 to Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in difficult hot conditions. Zheng admitted she struggled with both the weather and her opponent’s high-bouncing tactical play, which disrupted her rhythm throughout the contest. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina survived a major scare before defeating Anna Bondar 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10-3) in a dramatic three-set battle. However, the emotional focus of the day centered on Wawrinka, who played his final Roland Garros match at the age of 41. The 2015 French Open champion fought hard before losing 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong.
Following the match, Wawrinka received a warm standing ovation from fans at Court Simonne Mathieu along with a special tribute recognizing his remarkable career. “I’m proud of what I achieved throughout these years,” Wawrinka said emotionally. “It’s never easy to say goodbye to something you love so much and have dedicated your life to.” Elsewhere, Elena Rybakina advanced comfortably with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Veronika Erjavec, while Matteo Berrettini marked his return to Roland Garros with a four-set victory against Marton Fucsovics. Former finalist Jasmine Paolini, Daria Kasatkina, Anastasia Potapova and Amanda Anisimova also progressed to the next round with comfortable wins.
