Today could see the last time Rafael Nadal plays at Roland Garros the venue he has dominated since the mid-noughties. Fourteen titles on the red dirt of Paris is something the sport will likely never see again, but if you think he has deserved a kind draw as his career nears its end then fate clearly doesn’t agree. The Spaniard faces fourth seed Alexander Zverev in a first-round match that will test both his diminishing clay-court powers and his creaking body.
In the women’s draw the match of the day sees Iga Swiatek, as dominant on clay as Nadal once was, get her title defence under way against local favourite Leolia Jeanjean the main Philippe-Chatrier court.
Other notable matches see men’s second seed Jannik Sinner face the USA’s Christopher Eubanks on Court Suzanne-Lenglen, and Coco Gauff play Julia Avdeeva of Russia on the same court.
Last night saw Andy Murray play what could prove to be his last match at Roland Garros after he was beaten in straight sets by old foe Stan Wawrinka. Today British interest is focused on Cameron Norrie and Harriet Dart. Norrie, who is 32nd seed, faces Russia’s Pavel Kotov on Court 14, while Dart comes up against the 27th-seeded Linda Noskova from the Czech Republic.
When does the French Open start and end?
The French Open began on Sunday May 26 and concludes on June 9.
What is today’s order of play?
Show courts and British players in action on day two:
COURT PHILIPPE-CHATRIER (begins 11am UK time)
Sachia Vickery (USA) v (8) Ons Jabeur (Tunisia)
(1) Iga Swiatek (Poland) v Leolia Jeanjean (France)
(4) Alexander Zverev (Germany) v Rafael Nadal (Spain)
Gael Monfils (France) v Thiago Seyboth Wild (Brazil)
COURT SUZANNE-LENGLEN (begins 10am UK time)
Christopher Eubanks (USA) v (2) Jannik Sinner (Italy)
Marton Fucsovics (Hungary) v (9) Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece)
(3) Coco Gauff (USA) v Julia Avdeeva (Russia)
(15) Elina Svitolina (Ukrraine) v Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic)
COURT SIMONNE-MATHIEU (begins 10am UK time)
Rebeka Masarova (Spain) v (5) Marketa Vondrousova (Czech Republic)
Matteo Arnaldi (Italy) v (29) Arthur Fils (France)
(6) Maria Sakkari (Greece) v Varvara Gracheva (France)
Dominik Koepfer (Germany) v (5) Daniil Medvedev (Russia)
British players to play today
Second out on Court 14: (32) Cameron Norrie (Britain) v Pavel Kotov (Russia)
Last out on Court 4: Harriet Dart (Britain) v (27) Linda Noskova (Czech Republic)
When do the French Open finals take place?
The women’s final takes place on June 8 and the men’s final is the following day on June 9.
Where is the French Open held?
The French Open takes place at Roland Garros, which is located on the edge of Bois de Boulogne, close to Paris St-Germain’s Parc des Princes. The venue spans 18 clay courts including the main show court: Philippe-Chatrier.
