Roland Garros Results Today: Defending Champion Eliminated and a Spanish Surprise Shocks the Tournament
Roland Garros delivered a mix of major exits, strong debuts, and intense conditions on the second day in Paris, where temperatures climbed above 30°C and tested players across both draws. The biggest emotional farewell came from Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka, who exited in his 21st appearance at the tournament. At 41, Wawrinka leaves behind a remarkable legacy at Roland Garros, where he won the title in 2015 during the peak years of the Big 3 era. His career also includes Grand Slam triumphs at the 2014 Australian Open and the 2016 US Open.
While Wawrinka was eliminated, Novak Djokovic remains in the draw as he continues his bid for a fourth Roland Garros title. However, the main favorite to inherit the crown from reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz appears to be Italy’s Jannik Sinner, who is set to begin his campaign on Tuesday evening against Clement Tabur. Another player expected to play a major role is Norway’s Casper Ruud, a two-time finalist in Paris. Ruud came through a difficult opening-round match after suffering what looked like heat exhaustion, but he recovered in time to survive a dramatic five-set battle.
Spanish players produced a series of notable stories. Rafa Jódar made a stunning Grand Slam debut, winning in straight sets with a commanding performance. The surprise of the day for Spain, though, came from Pablo Carreño, who defeated world No. 12 Jiri Lehecka in straight sets to claim one of the biggest wins of the round. By contrast, there was no breakthrough for debutant Dani Mérida, who fell to American fifth seed Ben Shelton. Roberto Bautista played his final Roland Garros, while Jaume Munar continued to struggle with an arm injury and lost to Hubert Hurkacz.
In the women’s draw, Spain also had positive news. Kaitlin Quevedo, who came through qualifying, earned her first Grand Slam victory, following the example set a day earlier by Marina Bassols. The results reflected a day of contrasting fortunes for Spanish tennis, with both promising breakthroughs and veteran exits.
Elsewhere, several seeded players advanced as expected. Iga Swiatek, Jasmine Paolini, Elena Rybakina, Amanda Anisimova, Elina Svitolina, and Jelena Ostapenko all moved through their opening matches. In the men’s draw, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Andrey Rublev, Tommy Paul, Alex de Minaur, and Arthur Rinderknech were among the winners. The day also featured a long five-set thriller for Thanasi Kokkinakis and a strong run from Francisco Cerúndolo.
Overall, the opening days at Roland Garros have already brought a blend of retirement, upsets, heat stress, and encouraging signs for emerging players, setting the stage for a tournament that is beginning with plenty of drama.
