The 2025 French Open is right around the corner as the stars of the ATP and WTA Tour prepare for their first round matches.
Four months on from Madison Keys and Jannik Sinner’s triumphant Australian Open campaigns, Grand Slam tennis is back in Paris.
On the men’s side Carlos Alcaraz will look to defend the title he won in 2024, while Poland’s Iga Swiatek will search for her fourth consecutive Roland Garros crown on the women’s side.
The draw has now been released, as fans and players now know what to look out for when the French Open begins on Sunday.
Some matches look more intriguing than others, as five first-round clashes in particular will certainly be worth tuning in for.
The top five French Open first-round matches you don’t want to miss
Naomi Osaka v Paula Badosa
Perhaps the most interesting first round clash will take place in the women’s draw, when Naomi Osaka takes on Paula Badosa.
Osaka won her first clay-court title recently and looks to have made real strides on the surface in 2025.
Badosa, on the other hand, has struggled with injuries post-Miami Open and has only just returned to action in Strasbourg.
By ranking, you’d consider number ten seed Badosa to be the favorite, but it wouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to see Osaka pull off the upset.
Hubert Hurkacz v Joao Fonseca
The big-serving Pole struggled for form during the early months of the season, but looks to have found some momentum heading into Roland Garros.
Hurkacz reached the quarterfinals of the Italian Open and backed that run up with a strong showing in Geneva, outlining his underrated clay-court credentials.
Unfortunately for Hurkacz, he’s drawn one of the ATP Tour’s most exciting young stars in the first round of the French Open, Joao Fonseca.
The Brazilian has already won a title on clay this year and will no doubt be backed by his passionate fans once more as he searches for a breakthrough at the Grand Slam level.
Alexander Zverev v Learner Tien
If Alexander Zverev had named five players he wanted to avoid in the first round of the French Open, Learner Tien may well have been on that list.
Tien stunned Zverev at the Mexican Open earlier this season, 6-3, 6-4, securing the highest-ranked win of his young career.
The American has struggled on clay, however, winning just one main draw match on the surface this year.
Zverev may take some confidence from that as he looks to kick off his French Open campaign with a statement win.
Belinda Bencic v Elena Rybakina
Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina has been handed a tricky first-round opponent, as she gets set to take on Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic in Paris.
The Swiss star won her first title since returning from maternity leave in February, beating Rybakina en route to victory at the Abu Dhabi Open.
Rybakina hasn’t had the strongest of seasons so far, losing in the third round of both clay WTA 1000 tournaments, but looks to have found her footing in Strasbourg.
Perhaps the Kazakh can carry that momentum through to her opening match at the French Open and avoid a shock upset against Bencic.
Carlos Alcaraz v Kei Nishikori
The defending champion will take on one of the ATP Tour’s most respected veterans in round one, Kei Nishikori.
Nishikori is a three-time quarterfinalist in Paris and has already shown his Grand Slam class in 2025, when he battled back from two sets down to beat Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro in Melbourne.
Alcaraz will no doubt be up for the challenge as he looks to defend a Grand Slam title for the second time in his career, having done so for the first time at Wimbledon last year.
Winning two of the three clay Masters 1000 titles in the lead-up to the tournament, the Spaniard will take to the court for his opening match as the rightful favorite.
Only time will tell who will advance to the second round of the French Open, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action when the tournament begins on Sunday, May 25.
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