Day 1 at Roland-Garros delivered a packed slate of major results, highlighted by one of the tournament’s biggest shocks as world No. 148 Nishesh Basavareddy stunned No. 7 seed Taylor Fritz in a dramatic four-set battle on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. The 21-year-old wildcard saved his best tennis for the biggest match of his career, prevailing 7-6(5), 7-6(5), 6-7(9), 6-1 in a performance that immediately made him one of the standout stories of the opening day. The upset over Fritz set the tone for a session filled with momentum swings, breakthrough wins and notable early exits.
Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk continued her strong form on clay, defeating Oksana Selekhmeteva to extend her winning streak on the surface to 13 matches and advance to the second round. Kostyuk’s consistency has made her one of the players to watch in the women’s draw, and her latest victory reinforced her status as a dangerous contender in Paris.
Men’s No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev made a routine start to his campaign, easing past Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi to progress comfortably and set up a second-round meeting with Czech player Tomas Machac. Zverev’s straight-forward win provided a contrast to the day’s more unpredictable matches, as the German moved through without major trouble.
Hayley Baptiste produced one of the most resilient performances of the day, knocking out 2021 Roland-Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova after saving two match points. The comeback victory was a major statement for Baptiste, who showed composure under pressure to eliminate one of the tournament’s former champions and earn a memorable opening-round triumph.
Mirra Andreeva also advanced with minimal difficulty, bouncing back from last year’s disappointment at Roland-Garros to beat French wildcard Fiona Ferro in straight sets. The young Russian controlled the match effectively and avoided any repeat of her previous upset loss in Paris.
One of the loudest and most colorful moments of the day came during Joao Fonseca’s match against French qualifier Luka Pavlovic. The Brazilian teenager, who has quickly become a fan favorite, played in front of a packed and energetic crowd and delivered a straight-sets win to keep his run going. The atmosphere reflected the tournament’s trademark mix of home support, international flair and big-stage energy.
Under the lights on Court Philippe Chatrier, Novak Djokovic began his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title with a hard-fought victory over powerful French server Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Djokovic dropped the first set but responded with the experience and control that have defined his career, recovering to move into the second round. The win kept his championship ambitions alive as he opened another campaign in Paris.
With shocks, comebacks, dominant performances and a blockbuster night session, Roland-Garros Day 1 delivered a compelling start to the tournament.
