Key events
Lois Boisson, who’s making her grand slam debut at her home event and unwittingly made headlines last month when Britain’s Harriet Dart told the umpire mid-match that her opponent “smells really bad”, is under way against Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina as both reach for a place in the third round for the first time. Boisson leads 1-0 and has a break point for 2-0.
Gauff’s victory means Djokovic is soon to take to Suzanne Lenglen. But let’s check in on Chatrier, where Boulter is break point down against Keys. And she hands it over with a double fault. Hugely frustrating, especially as Keys had missed a few returns in the game. Keys has the early break and leads Boulter 3-1.
Gauff says she’s happy with her return game, but thinks she could have done better with her serve, and that Valentova’s a great young player. She’s then asked what it was like waiting to take to court during Fils’s absorbing five-set win. She says she took a nap – and was then rooting for Fils. I think she’s just gained herself some more French fans – though the 2022 finalist has plenty of those already.
Gauff beats Valentova 6-2, 6-4
After an hour and 15 minutes, Gauff has two match points, leading Valentova, last year’s girls’ champion, 6-2, 5-4 and 15-40 on the Czech’s serve. A long rally plays out, with half the court in sun and the other in shade, and the second seed eventually puts Valentova in the shade to complete the win.
Norrie finally shakes off Gomez, the lucky loser ranked down at 144 in the world, on set point No 7, when Gomez nets. Norrie takes the first-set tie-break 9-7.
Norrie nudges ahead for 7-6, so here’s a sixth set point. He’s still jumping up and down enthusiastically on the baseline, even though he must feel like kicking himself right now. Or hitting himself with his racket Rublev-style. Speaking of the Russian … he’s just finished the job, 7-6, 6-1, 7-6, against Walton. Up next: a potential cracker against Fils.
It’s tie-break time on Court 13, where Norrie has put that missed set point to the back of his mind, and is 4-2 up on Gomez. And soon 5-2. Norrie then drags Gomez around the court and his opponent nets. 6-2, four set points. Norrie goes long on his first serve … and then doubles! At least he has the luxury of three more set points, though the next two are on Gomez’s serve. Gomez takes both points for 6-5 … and then turns defence into brutal attack and it’s 6-6!
TNT Sports shows footage of Boulter finding her fiance De Minaur in the gym before her match to commiserate with him about his shock loss. Hopefully it won’t distract her from the task in hand this afternoon. Boulter is definitely the underdog against Keys, who can play with freedom now she finally has her name on a grand slam trophy, but Boulter is a fighter and is feeling confident after claiming her first clay-court title nearly two weeks ago, having dropped down to play the Paris WTA 125 Challenger event. She even called herself Klatie after that victory.
Norrie has taken Gomez to deuce on the Argentine’s serve. And from there he gets himself a set point. Gomez looks in control, striking hard to Norrie’s forehand, again and again, before switching things up and hitting a winner past the Brit’s backhand. Deuce. Advantage Gomez. Game Gomez. It’s 5-5.
You wait a few hours for a Brit on court, and then two come along at once. Katie Boulter is getting going on Chatrier against Madison Keys, the Australian Open champion.
Norrie is strutting around the court as he serves for the first set at 5-3. That five-set win over Daniil Medvedev in the first round, and his run to the Geneva Open semi-finals last week, has given him some confidence after a difficult run. But from 30-all, he is broken. Call that the commentator’s curse. They’re back on serve, with Norrie leading Gomez 5-4.
Lovely video this. Though Gasquet must wish those first two hadn’t been playing when he did:
And a word for the young American qualifier Ethan Quinn:
Read up on Ethan Quinn, the former NCAA champ who wasn’t an overnight success but pulled himself onto the tour level after nearly getting stuck in obscurity.
Quinn is up a set now on Shevchenko in a part of the #RolandGarros draw with possibilities.https://t.co/56MQyJQ9j4
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) May 29, 2025
Gauff takes the first set against Tereza Valentova, the 18-year-old Czech qualifier who won the French Open girls’ title last year, 6-2, when Valentova nets.
Paula Badosa, who took out Naomi Osaka in the first round, is under way against Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse, the 18-year-old sensation Joao Fonseca is 5-5 opening set against France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Andrey Rublev is still two sets to the good in his match … and over on Court 13, Cameron Norrie, the second of five Brits in singles action today, has started well against Argentina’s Federico Gomez, leading 5-2.
Interesting news. Tsitsipas definitely needs to do something to reboot his career.
And that, the era he played in, was Gasquet’s problem. He could have been a contender with the talent he had. He should have been a contender. But he played at a time when Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray were ruling. There’ll be a ceremony now to celebrate his career, and there is much to celebrate, but three grand slam semi-finals and two quarter-finals seems a low return for a player of his immense ability.
An emotional Gasquet stays on court – he’ll talk after Sinner does his interview. “Thank you so much for being so fair to me,” Sinner tells the crowd. The Italian’s then told he was only one when Gasquet won his first match on the tour. Sinner smiles. “We are a different generation. Congrats to your amazing career. You played in an incredible era of tennis.”
Sinner ends Gasquet’s career with a 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 win
Sinner steps up to serve, and Gasquet prepares to receive in what could be the final game of his 23-year career. “Reeechard, Reeeechard, Reeeeeeeechard,” the crowd chant after he takes the opening point for 0-15. Sinner, as Sinner does, comes back for 15-all and 30-15. At least we get a couple of final looks at that famed backhand, but it misfires to give Sinner two match points. And this time Gasquet’s forehand goes long, and the pair share a lovely embrace at the net. Gasquet, a few weeks short of his 39th birthday, has been sent into retirement by the world No 1.
Rublev is seemingly on his way, now 7-6, 6-1 ahead against the Australian Adam Walton. But for Gasquet the end appears nigh, as he drops 15-40 down on serve. If Sinner takes either of these break points he’ll be serving for the match. And that Sinner does, when Gasquet, after some admirable resistance, fires a forehand wide on the second break point. Sinner leads 6-3, 6-0, 5-4 with the break.
Sinner doesn’t have time for sentimentality though. He wants to get the job done. From 15-all, he peels off two winners for game point. Gasquet puts away a forehand for 40-30 – the Frenchman’s actually hit more winners than Sinner in this set, 11 to 8 – but Sinner, after one, two, three smashes, secures the game for 6-3, 6-0, 4-4.
On Chatrier, Gasquet is playing this third set as if it is his last (which it may well turn out to be), and he leads Sinner 4-3 on serve.
Fils’s fantastic win means that Gauff has just wandered out on to Suzanne Lenglen. She’s got her rackets this time. That’s a good start.
Zverev defeats De Jong 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3
And here are three match points for Zverev, at 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 5-3 and 0-40 on De Jong’s serve. That first set must feel like a week ago now for poor Jesper. And Zverev zips through to complete the four-set comeback win. “Once I found my rhythm I felt very comfortable,” says last year’s runner-up. “I’m happy with my level. Credit to him, he played a fantastic match also. Let’s see how far I can go.”
Krejcikova won the title at Roland Garros in 2021 and is the reigning Wimbledon champion, but it won’t register too high on the scale of shocks, given that she’s still seeking her first victory of 2025 because of a back injury that kept her out until last week.
Thanks Daniel. I’ve had to reboot my WiFi about 623 times just to get to this point, so I’m not feeling too confident about guiding you through the closing stages of Sinner v Gasquet. But I can reliably inform you that Barbora Krejcikova has gone the way of Alex De Minaur, losing 6-0, 6-3 to Veronika Kudermetova.
Righto, I’m off for a spot of lunch to clean and brine some chickens, so here’s Katy to chill with you for the next bit.
Next on Lenglen: Tereza Valentova v Coco Gauff (2).
“Ici c’est Paris, eh!” Fils shouts, to wild approval. Oh, that’s all we’re getting. I’ve no idea why, but we’re not allowed to watch any more of the interview, but whatevz. That was the match of the competition so far, better than Badosa v Osaka, and though Fils’ pyrotechnics were its defining feature, the composure he showed to handle his injury and when playing the most important points was just as significant. At 20, he’s got a lot of improving still to do, and he’s already pretty useful.
Arthur Fils (14) beats Jaume Munar 7-6(3) 7-6(4) 2-6 0-6 6-4
An amazing win for Fils, who fought off injury to harness every fibre of his being, along with the crowd, into a devastating concoction of fire and ice. Next for him: Rublev or Walton.
Fils opens the angle down the line, runs around his backhand … and dumps into the net. But then Munar sends backhand cross-court and wide; two match points to Fils, and the way he’s hitting it, you’d back him…
NOW THEN! A forehand winner, and error from Munar, and at 5-4 0-30, Fils is two games away, the crowd seeking to sing and scream him over the line. Whatever happens from here, he’s shown the very best of himself today, but back to the now, noise from the seats mean Munar can’t serve. Eventually, quiet.
Yet another forehand winner and Fils is up 5-4 in the fifth. Lenglen is jumping and rightly so, this is a blinding display of skill, will and thrill.
On 9, a match with which we’ve not yet visited: Griekspoor leads Diallo 7-5 4-3; and on Chatrier, Sinner does indeed deliver a bagel, leading Gasquet 6-3 6-0. And that’s the thing with him: the way he plays, it’s only the best players with the facilities to give him a game.
The 2021 champ is in deep trouble: Kudermetova leads Krejcikova 6-0 5-2. Back on Mathieu, Zverev has broken De Jong again to lead 2-1 3-0, and on Chatrier, Sinner is serving for a 6-0 second set against Gasquet.
Shut up! Down break point, Fils conjures an absurd forehand winner – his power and spin is one thing, his bravery to commit to his shots another – then annihilates another for advantage. A shank, though, brings us back to deuce and, when that forehand gives him yet another overhead, for what feels like the first time, his joyous thump takes the ball long. No matter, a service winner restores l’égalité, he noises up the crowd both necessarily and unnecessarily, and round we go. this is fantastic stuff.
Fils burns two break points and though Munar then holds for 4-4 in the fifth, he’s in the ascendancy now. For the not very much that means; this mach will turn on a shot or two, nothing more.
On Chatrier, Sinner breaks Gasquet for a 6-3 3-0 lead, while Rublev and Watson are 5-5 in the first.
On Mathieu, it’s a matter of time: Zverev serves out for a 3-6 6-1 6-2 lead and, as I type, breaks in the first game of set four.
But it’s on Lenglen where it’s all happening, Fils holding for 4-3 and saluting an increasingly febrile crowd after each point he wins. Otherwise, Sinner is blowing Gasquet away, leading 6-3 2-0 and Kudermetova now leads Krejcikova 6-0 3-2 on serve.
A ridiculous point, somehow won by Fils gives him 15-30; we said at the start this had the feel of an epic, and here it is. He should win the point that makes 30-all but another display of skill, athleticism and heart, finished with an overhead, raises break-back point, and a barely believable forehand winner, from centre to corner, means we’re back level at 3-3 in the fifth! This is unfathomably fun fare, and I’ve not a clue what’s going to happen next.
Yeah, De Jong is de gone. Zverev breaks him again and will serve for a 2-1 lead at 5-2 in the third, while Fils holds to trail 2-3 in the fifth. He’s giving it absolutely everything, and so are the crowd.
On which point:
Gasquet makes him plough through deuce, but Sinner gets there in the end, as we knew he would. He leads 6-3, but that can only be minor consolation when you’re cutting about dressed like this. World no 1, and this is the stash they give him and he accepts, I don’t even know.
De Jong raises break point but Zverev saves it then eventually holds for 1-1 4-2; Munar breaks Fils and leads 2-1 in the fifth; and Sinner is serving for the first set at 5-3, but Gasquet is making him fight for it.
I guess I’ll get this match on a screen when Munar v Fils is over, but a word to the wise: Court 6 will soon enjoy an Italian derby, and Cobolli v Arnaldi should be a lot of fun.
Elsewhere, Krejcikova, the Wimbledon champ, has been bagelled by Kudermetova; Walton leads Rublev 2-0; Alexandrova beat Cocciaretto 1 and 3; and Putintseva leads Garland J (Joanna not Judy) 7-6.
In all of that, I don’t see the ball that makes Zverev furious with the umpire, who gets off his seat to check a mark, but it makes no odds: De Jong eventually goes long on the forehand, cedes the break, and seems to have run out of good play.
Yup; well, maybe yup. Fils takes the first two points of set five looking more sprightly than at any time since he hurt his thigh. You’ve got to feel for him – this isn’t the first, or second time his body has let him down – but there’s a spring in his step now and he holds to love, the crowd going wild. This is going to be intense.
Munar takes the fourth set 6-0, but can and will Fils continue? I guess he might’ve tanked to allow any painkiller he’s taken to hit; we’ll soon see.
Sinner has broken Gasquet and leads 4-1. It’s hard to see how this one can be close.
Meantime Coach Calv, fresh off court with Henry, says: “Rocha is [redacted] good. Maybe not a top-tier but he’s a very talented lad. Played him a few times in doubles.”
And on Bublik: “Harri’s coach grew up with Bublik. He said ‘no chance’ at the start of the match,” which tells us exactly what a magical win it was.
Munar, meanwhile, is up a double-break at 3-0 in the fourth, and I fear for Fils – not just because I wanted to use those words consecutively.
A huge hold for De Jong, who’s made to fight for it, but he there. He and Zverev are now 1-1 1-1, and the next 15 minutes or so will tell us if we’re going to see a contest or a procession.
I was lucky enough to meet Henry recently, and also allowed to cut about the Wimbledon clubhouse, each absolutely great.
Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara, the reigning Wimbledon and Aussie Open men’s doubles champs, seeded two here, are into round two having beaten Petr Nouza and Patrik Rill 3 and 4.
Henrique Rocha beats Jakub Mensik (19) 2-6 1-6 6-4 6-3 6-3
Wow wow wow! A second comeback from a battering in the first two sets, and a potentially career-cementing win for the 21-year-old Rocha! Mensik, a prodigy himself, is no joke, and to duff him up like that is extremely impressive. Next for Rocha: Sascha Bublik!
Fils takes a medical timeout. He was struggling to reach on the backhand, but when he emerges he’s running, presumably to tell Munar he’s still in dis ting. Meantime, back on Mathieu, Zverev has taken over, sealing a 6-1 set, and on Chatrier, Sinner and Gasquet have just got going.
Alreet, Munar is not disappearing. He’s serving at 5-2 in the third – I didn’t see how or what, but Fils has hurt himself, barely attempting to return the ace that seals the set.
