The French Open first-round matches on Tuesday, May 28 feature some of the top names in tennis, including Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina. Djokovic, the top seed and 24-time major winner, is facing French wildcard Pierre-Hugues Herbert in what is expected to be an exciting night session on Philippe-Chatrier. Other prominent players in action include Casper Ruud, Holger Rune, Alex De Minaur, and Taylor Fritz in the men’s draw, while Sabalenka, Rybakina, Katie Boulter, and Paula Badosa are featured in the women’s draw.
Novak Djokovic, who has had a somewhat inconsistent season so far, is looking to find his form as he kicks off his campaign at Roland-Garros. Djokovic has not reached a final in 2024 and suffered early exits in Rome and Geneva, but he remains the world No. 1. Facing an opponent ranked significantly lower than him, Djokovic will need to bring his best game to overcome Herbert, who will have the support of his home crowd. Despite being the heavy favorite, Djokovic has described his expectations for the tournament as low but remains hopeful for a successful run.
In the women’s draw, Katie Boulter represents British hopes as the last player remaining in the competition. Boulter faces a tough challenge against former world No. 2 Paula Badosa, who has had success at Roland-Garros in the past. Badosa comes into the tournament on the back of a strong performance in Rome, where she reached the fourth round. Boulter, the 26th seed, is playing in the main draw of the French Open for the first time and will look to draw on her recent title win in San Diego to make an impact.
Dan Evans is the sole British male player left in the competition, facing 13th seed Holger Rune. Evans, ranked No. 62 in the world, is seeking to turn around a disappointing season with a notable win at Roland-Garros. With a 3-12 record in 2024 and a lack of tour-level victories since March, Evans will need to bring his best game against the higher-ranked Rune. The order of play for the show courts on Tuesday includes matches featuring top players like Aryna Sabalenka, Taylor Fritz, Elena Rybakina, and Alex De Minaur.
Fans can catch all the action from the French Open live on discovery+, the Eurosport app, and eurosport.com. As the first-round matches continue to unfold, tennis enthusiasts can look forward to thrilling encounters between top players vying for success on the clay courts of Roland-Garros. From Djokovic’s quest to regain his form to Boulter’s challenge against Badosa, the tournament promises exciting battles and surprises as the world’s best tennis stars compete for glory in Paris.
