The French Open first-round slate on May 25, 2026, brings together several established clay-court players and emerging challengers in matches that could be more competitive than the betting lines suggest. Andrey Rublev opens against red-hot Ignacio Buse, Marin Cilic faces teenage wildcard Moise Kouame, and Matteo Berrettini meets Marton Fucsovics in a matchup shaped by both players’ recent struggles.
Buse arrives in Paris in strong form after winning six straight matches and reaching the final in Hamburg last week, where he lost to Alexei Popyrin. The Chilean is making his main-draw debut at Roland Garros after failing in qualifying last season. Rublev, meanwhile, has won three of his last five matches and was beaten by Jannik Sinner in straight sets in the quarterfinals in Rome. A two-time French Open quarterfinalist, Rublev brings more proven pedigree, but Buse’s current form and comfort on clay make this an intriguing first-round test. The matchup is expected to be tight, with Buse viewed as a live underdog and a potential games-handicap play.
Cilic enters his opening match with mixed recent results, having lost three of his last five, including a straight-sets defeat to Martin Landaluce in Rome. Still, the Croatian’s résumé on the Paris clay is far stronger than Kouame’s. Cilic reached the French Open semifinals in 2022 and has years of Grand Slam experience, while Kouame is only 17 and competing in his first major main draw after receiving a wildcard. The teenager has talent, but the gap in experience, serving power, and match management heavily favors Cilic. As long as he serves well, the veteran is expected to control the match.
The Berrettini-Fucsovics meeting may be the most uncertain of the three. Fucsovics has dropped four of his last five matches and lost early in Rome to Nino Serdarusic? Wait no — he was beaten by Prizmic in his opening match. Berrettini is also short on momentum, losing three of his last five and falling to Camilo Ugo Carabelli in Valencia last week. Once a French Open quarterfinalist in 2021, Berrettini has not been a regular presence in Paris recently and enters this year ranked outside the top 100. Fucsovics, however, has long been a difficult opponent on clay and has the tools to extend rallies and make this contest physical.
Overall, the opening-round action at Roland Garros highlights a mix of form, experience, and clay-court skill. Rublev faces a dangerous opponent in Buse, Cilic appears well positioned to use his experience against Kouame, and Fucsovics could make Berrettini work hard in what may be a close encounter.
