In an opening day packed with emotion and grit, defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek narrowly avoided an upset, while Rafael Nadal—perhaps playing his final Roland-Garros—was eliminated in the first round in front of a rapturous crowd. Swiatek, battling nerves and a resilient opponent, came back from a set down to defeat France’s Diane Parry 5–7, 6–3, 6–4, showcasing the resilience that has defined her clay-court dominance.
Swiatek’s victory extended her unbeaten streak at the French Open to 20 matches, but she admitted afterward that the Paris crowd and opening-round pressure weighed heavily on her. “It was one of the toughest first rounds I’ve played here,” she said. “Diane played incredibly well, and I had to fight for every point.”
Meanwhile, the men’s draw saw a stunning turn of events as 14-time champion Rafael Nadal lost in straight sets to world No. 4 Alexander Zverev. The 6–3, 7–6(5), 6–3 defeat marked the earliest Roland-Garros exit of Nadal’s career and cast further doubt on whether the Spaniard will return to compete again on his favorite court.
Nadal, emotional during the post-match ceremony, thanked fans for their unwavering support through the years. “This place has given me everything,” he said. “If this is my last time here, I leave with nothing but gratitude.” His departure signals the end of an era at Roland-Garros, where he has been virtually unbeatable since 2005.
Other opening-day highlights included wins for Daniil Medvedev and Coco Gauff, who both advanced in straight sets. With the drama already reaching a fever pitch on Day 1, the 2025 French Open promises more fireworks as title favorites and rising stars continue their campaigns.
