Category: Articles

  • Emma Raducanu: 2025 French Open prize money and ranking points revealed

    Emma Raducanu’s French Open campaign came to an emphatic end following a heavy defeat to reigning Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek.

    World No 41 Raducanu failed to make a significant impact inside Court Philippe Chatrier, falling 6-1, 6-2 to the world No 5.

    It was a fifth straight-sets loss in as many meetings for the Brit against Swiatek, who dropped just one game when the two last met at the Australian Open back in January.

    Raducanu’s French Open exit brings an end to a mixed clay-court swing, with her focus now turning towards the grass-court season.

    Here, we look at what ranking points and prize money the Brit earned at Roland Garros.

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    Ranking points

    Raducanu did not play at the French Open in 2024, choosing to prioritise the grass court swing as she continued her comeback from injury.

    That means that, regardless of her result, the 22-year-old would increase her ranking points in Paris.

    Raducanu automatically earned 10 points for entering the main draw, and then her second-round triumph against Wang Xinyu of China saw her move up to 70 points for the tournament.

    Though she was unable to add to that following her loss to Swiatek, an increase of 70 points looks set to secure a significant rankings move.

    Currently the world No 41 with 1,319 points, Raducanu moves to 1,389 after her Roland Garros exploits and is provisionally up four places to world No 37 in the WTA Live Rankings.

    Barring a major swing in results across the remainder of the fortnight, the Brit looks likely to be ranked inside the top 40 of the rankings post-tournament.

    Raducanu needs to be in the top 32 to seal a seeding for Wimbledon, and a top-40 ranking heading into the grass-swing will significantly boost those hopes.

    Had Raducanu beaten Swiatek, she would have moved up to world No 35 in the WTA Live Rankings.

    Prize money

    Despite her second-round exit, the former US Open champion is also still set for a significant payday.

    Like all players in the men’s and women’s singles events, Raducanu automatically earned €73,000 for entering the main draw, the equivalent of approximately $82,457 or £61,181.

    However, by reaching the second round, she has increased her prize money earnings to €110,000 – the approximate equivalent of $124,251 or £92,211.

    In contrast, the 22-year-old earned just €86,000 for her run to the second round of the French Open back in 2022, meaning a prize money increase of 27.9% between the two payouts.

    Raducanu’s French Open winnings will mean she has earned approximately $5.1m across her playing career to date.

    Read NextWhy Novak Djokovic’s next French Open opponent Corentin Moutet is a controversial figure

    The post Emma Raducanu: 2025 French Open prize money and ranking points revealed appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Iga Swiatek ends Emma Raducanu’s French Open hopes as stunning Grand Slam streak continues

    Iga Swiatek kept her French Open title defence and an impressive Grand Slam streak alive with a convincing win over Emma Raducanu.

    The world No 5 faced little trouble in a blockbuster second-round contest inside Court Philippe Chatrier on Wednesday, breezing past fellow Grand Slam winner Raducanu 6-1, 6-2.

    Swiatek’s triumph continues her dominant head-to-head over Raducanu, with the Pole having won all five matches – and all 10 sets – the two have contested.

    “I just want to play my game,” said Swiatek.

    “For sure, I felt good on court. I felt I could do whatever I planned to, whatever I wanted to. I just needed to adjust to the wind as conditions were pretty tricky today.

    “I’m happy that I did that well and that I’m through.”

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    Victory for Swiatek was her 23rd straight win at the French Open, the Pole having not lost at this tournament since a 2021 quarter-final loss to Maria Sakkari.

    The Pole now holds a staggering 37-2 record overall at the tournament, with her only other defeat coming to Simona Halep on her tournament debut back in 2019.

    This year’s Roland Garros also represents the 21st straight Grand Slam tournament where the world No 5 has reached at least the third round.

    Swiatek has not tasted defeat before round three at a major since her US Open debut in 2019, where she was beaten in the second round by 12th seed Anastasija Sevastova.

    In the Open Era, only Martina Navratilova (35), Conchita Martinez (30), and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (25) have achieved more consecutive round-three appearances at Grand Slams.

    Defeat for Raducanu ends her hopes on clay for another year, though she will take positives from her opening-round win on Monday, beating Xinyu Wang in her first Roland Garros match since 2022.

    Victory over the Chinese helped propel Raducanu back into the top 40 of the WTA Rankings for the first time in over three and a half years, with the Brit currently 37th in the live rankings.

    However, her second-round defeat means that she has missed the chance to potentially move further up the rankings – and boost her Wimbledon hopes.

    Had she stunned Swiatek, Raducanu would have moved up two places to world No 35 in the WTA Live Rankings, just below current British No 1 Katie Boulter.

    With her clay swing now over, the 22-year-old will look to boost her hopes of a Wimbledon seeding when the grass court season begins.

    Raducanu has semi-final points to defend in Nottingham before the seeding cut-off one week before the Championships, meaning it is touch and go as to whether she will be ranked inside the top 32 by then.

    Read Next‘Iconic’: Why you just HAVE to visit Queen’s and Wimbledon in style this summer

    The post Iga Swiatek ends Emma Raducanu’s French Open hopes as stunning Grand Slam streak continues appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Former world No 1 asked which young stars could stop Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

    Former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki has admitted she finds it “hard to see” who can beat Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner when the duo are at their best.

    Alcaraz and Sinner are the two clear favourites for the title at the 2025 French Open.

    Between them, Sinner and Alcaraz have split the last five Grand Slam titles, with the Italian securing the three hard-court majors in this period and Alcaraz triumphing at the French Open and Wimbledon last year.

    World No 1 Sinner is seeking his maiden French Open crown, while Alcaraz is chasing his third big clay title of 2025 after winning in Monte Carlo and Rome.

    Speaking in her role as a TNT Sports pundit, Wozniacki was asked if men’s tennis was wide open or whether Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominance has already closed that window.

    “Well, I think it’s still wide open,” the Dane said at an event attended by Tennis365. “Obviously these two guys are such incredible athletes and have proven that they’re great champions. And what they’ve been able to do in a short amount of time is absolutely incredible.

    “And obviously Jannik, winning in Australia and making the final (in Rome) after not playing for three months, coming back in Rome and still being in tip-top shape, just shows what an incredible player that he is.

    “Carlos, you know, he has been, obviously when he’s on his peak, probably the best player in the world, but he’s a little bit more up and down, but I think it’s so fun to watch him just do the magic that he does on court.

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    “You still have other young players, other players that have been around for a long time, like [Alexander] Zverev and [Stefanos] Tsitsipas and other players who are still trying to break through, who you feel for them that maybe their window has closed.

    “Zverev is getting to the finals of Slams, he’s getting close, but he just can’t… you know, he reaches Sinner and Alcaraz and it’s uphill.

    “When you’re so young, so many things can happen. They need to have their body feel good at all times, they need to stay healthy, but I mean, how they’re playing right now when they’re playing their best, it’s hard to see who can beat them.”

    The 2018 Australian Open winner also weighed in on which young players could challenge Alcaraz and Sinner at Roland Garros.

    “Jack Draper has shown that he’s been playing some incredible tennis lately and I think he’s up there,” said Wozniacki.

    “I mean, he obviously hasn’t won the Slams like Sinner and Alcaraz, but I think he can beat anyone on a good day, on any surface.

    “And obviously, being a Dane, I like to believe in Holger Rune. He hasn’t been doing and having the results lately and I think he’s had some sickness, some injuries, changes of coaches.

    “But I think the consistency of going back to his old coach has really helped him and hopefully he can get his fitness back. I would like to see him up there challenging for Slams and feel like he’s in contention.

    “Now, do I feel like he’s in contention for this French Open and this Wimbledon? I don’t know. Maybe not. But you know, I’d like to think that when we look into the next couple of years, that he will find his way. And he’s young and I would like to think that he can contend for the big trophies at some point.”

    Watch every moment of the French Open live and exclusive on discovery+

    READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz trails only Rafael Nadal & Bjorn Borg in incredible clay stat after French Open win

    The post Former world No 1 asked which young stars could stop Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Carlos Alcaraz trails only Rafael Nadal & Bjorn Borg in incredible clay stat after French Open win

    Carlos Alcaraz navigated the second hurdle of his French Open title defence impressively as he downed Fabian Marozsan in four sets.

    The No 2 seed downed the dangerous Marozsan 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 on Court Philippe-Chatrier in the second round of the Paris major.

    Alcaraz broke Marozsan eight times and was dominant in sets one, three and four, while the world No 56 showed the threat he poses in the second set.

    The Spaniard was upset by Marozsan in his first encounter with the Hungarian at the 2023 Italian Open.

    In his on-court interview with tennis great Mats Wilander, Alcaraz was asked if he is having fun every time he plays.

    “Most of the time (laughs). Sometimes, it’s difficult to have fun on the court, you know, I had to suffer. It depends on the opponent as well,” the 22-year-old said.

    “But most of the time, I’m trying to not think about anything else but enjoying playing, enjoying being on these kind of courts.

    “The Philippe-Chatrier is a really beautiful court, so I have to enjoy once I step on the court. Just trying to show good tennis, trying to make the people happy to watch my matches as well. That’s the way I enjoy playing tennis.”

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    The four-time Grand Slam champion added: “It was a great, great match. I started pretty well, the first set I had a really high confidence.

    “I think the second set, he started to play much better, really aggressively. He didn’t miss at all, so it was a little bit difficult to deal with his game in the second set.

    “But really happy to stay strong, just refreshed in the third set, started to play better and better and have been a really good last two sets.”

    Alcaraz’s win against Marozsan was his 20th victory at the French Open in just his 23rd match at the tournament.

    Since the turn of the century, only Rafael Nadal has reached 20 wins at Roland Garros in fewer matches, with the Mallorcan titan having won all of his first 20 matches. Nadal, a 14-time champion at the French Open, was undefeated in his first 31 matches at the clay-court Slam.

    Alcaraz also has the third-highest ATP win percentage on clay among players who have contested at least 25 matches on the surface, with an outstanding 98-19 (83.8%) record.

    Nadal (90.5%) and Bjorn Borg (86.1%) are the only men with a better win rate on clay.

    Alcaraz will face either Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard or Damir Dzumhur in the third round.

    READ NEXT: Jannik Sinner has one ‘fatal’ weakness that a brutal statistic confirms

    The post Carlos Alcaraz trails only Rafael Nadal & Bjorn Borg in incredible clay stat after French Open win appeared first on Tennis365.

  • How Novak Djokovic’s French Open draw opened up further with another sizeable upset

    Daniil Medvedev fell at the first hurdle at the 2025 French Open as he lost a five-set thriller to Cameron Norrie – and the result could benefit Novak Djokovic.

    Norrie, a former world No 8 currently ranked 81st, stunned Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5 on Court Simonne-Mathieu on Day Three at Roland Garros.

    No 11 seed Medvedev was on the brink of completing a sensational comeback when he led 5-3 in the fifth set, but he failed to serve the match out at 5-4 as Norrie won the final four games to seal a sizeable upset.

    Asked what was in his mind during the match point, Norrie said: “Not a lot, to be honest (smiles). Yeah, it was an incredible atmosphere and thank you to everyone for supporting me.

    “I really felt like I had momentum there, it was kind of similar to the first set and I just felt a lot of energy there and managed to get over the line. I think he was a little bit tentative, but honestly it was a crazy match.

    “He’s so tough to beat, I think I deserve a diploma for beating Medvedev, he’s got me the last four or five times. So yeah, unreal match.

    “He raised his level and I dropped my intensity [in the third and fourth sets] and I was not able to hang with him, but I was able to find some energy in that fifth set.

    “And yeah I was just moving really well and yeah, I don’t really remember much of the fifth and being 5-4 down and suddenly winning the match, it was crazy.

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    “Nice to get through the first round and beating Daniil and I just really enjoyed the match start to finish, it was incredible tennis from both. An amazing win for me, so much fun.”

    The 29-year-old Brit’s triumph has earned him a great opportunity to progress further as he will face 144th-ranked lucky loser Federico Agustin Gomez in the second round.

    Medvedev is the latest high-profile star to exit the men’s singles draw in the opening round after fourth seed Taylor Fritz and 18th seed Francisco Cerundolo crashed out on Monday.

    Cerundolo, a dangerous clay-courter, was a potential fourth round opponent for third seed Alexander Zverev, while he could have met No 6 seed Djokovic if he reached the quarter-finals.

    Medvedev was projected to play Djokovic in the last 16, and his loss has only improved what was already seen as a great draw for the 24-time Grand Slam winner.

    While Medvedev has been far from his best this season, his pedigree as a former world No 1 who holds five wins over Djokovic — including in a Grand Slam final — made him the biggest threat the Serb could have faced before the last eight.

    With the 29-year-old Russian’s exit, the only seeded player Djokovic could now meet in the fourth round is 22nd seed Ugo Humbert — who is at his least comfortable on clay by a significant margin.

    Norrie and another unseeded British player — Jacob Fearnley — are other potential last 16 opponents for Djokovic.

    Djokovic is facing Mackenzie McDonald in his opening round match, while he would likely play Corentin Moutet in the second round and Denis Shapovalov in the third round.

    READ NEXT: How Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic could benefit from major French Open upset

    The post How Novak Djokovic’s French Open draw opened up further with another sizeable upset appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Former world No 1 reveals what’s ‘been lacking’ for Emma Raducanu ‘ever since miracle US Open run’

    Four-time major winner Jim Courier has shared his thoughts on Emma Raducanu’s encouraging form and her partnership with Mark Petchey.

    Raducanu has won 10 of her last 14 matches — a run that started with her reaching the quarter-finals at the Miami Open in March.

    This comes after she won only three of her first nine matches during a difficult start to the 2025 campaign.

    The 22-year-old is ranked 41st, which is her highest ranking position since August 2022 — just before she dropped the points from her stunning 2021 US Open title.

    The Brit downed world No 43 Wang Xinyu 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in the opening round of the 2025 French Open. She will face five-time champion Iga Swiatek in the second round.

    During a TNT Sports event, Tennis 365 asked Courier about Raducanu’s resurgence and what he expects from the Brit for the rest of the season.

    “It’s a rebuilding year for her, she’s been working on rebuilding her body, now she’s working on rebuilding her confidence,” the American said.

    “And some of that comes down to also once you get that confidence you get a little bit more aura and you bring some swagger back to the court and that affects how your opponents view playing you as well.

    “So, this is going to be a very interesting rest of the year for her. I wish her the best. I hear she’s a wonderful person.

    “I hope that she stays diligent with what she’s doing and stays focused and stays committed to her current team for as long as she can, ‘cause you want that stability for her — it’s something that’s been lacking ever since that miracle run in New York.”

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    Courier also revealed he is a fan of Raducanu’s collaboration with Mark Petchey, who she started working with at the Miami Open.

    “I do think this works well with Mark Petchey involved in a couple of ways,” the former world No 1 said.

    “One, they knew each other before she became a star. They worked together in private during the Covid lockdown, so he was invested in her before anyone else was interested in her, which is great.

    “Number two, very few people watch and think more about tennis than Mark Petchey. I’m lucky enough to work alongside him.

    “The guy lives and breathes it and he dives deep into the numbers and understands what the modern game looks like. And he’s already trying to help her improve in a few areas.

    “So there’s trust and there’s knowledge, that’s a great base to work off of. And hopefully for her sake, there’ll be some consistency.

    “And looks like she’s having fun and that’s a lot of it too. You want to be enjoying the process and it all seems to be moving in the right direction at the moment.”

    READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu reveals how Mark Petchey ‘has helped me’ and keen on ‘having a conversation’ with Andy Murray

    The post Former world No 1 reveals what’s ‘been lacking’ for Emma Raducanu ‘ever since miracle US Open run’ appeared first on Tennis365.

  • ‘Iconic’: Why you just HAVE to visit Queen’s and Wimbledon in style this summer

    ‘Iconic’: Why you just HAVE to visit Queen’s and Wimbledon in style this summer

    British summertime would not be complete without the grass-court tennis season and you could have a chance to witness the best players in the game on the biggest stages at The Queen’s Club and Wimbledon.

    Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner, Emma Raducanu and Novak Djokovic are among the superstar names confirmed to set foot on the perfectly manicured grass courts, as they look to secure wins that will be instantly etched into tennis folklore.

    This year’s grass-court season in England is boosted by a brand new tournament, with the WTA 500 event at The Queen’s Club seeing women’s tennis return to the historic old club for the first time in more than 50 years.

    Some of the biggest names in the game have signed up to play in what will be the most prestigious pre-Wimbledon tournament and will provide the ultimate curtain raiser for the biggest show in tennis at the All England Club, with the 2025 Championships set to get underway on June 30.

    If you have not yet experienced a day at the tennis, this really is the year to do it. And you can make your day that extra bit special by taking in the action from hospitality, a genuinely world-class experience.

    A unique day at Queen’s Club

    A mega new WTA 500 tournament is set to take place at The Queen’s Club from June 9-15 and with Seat Unique’s hospitality packages, you can sit back and relax courtside with VIP treatment, soaking up the June sun and the most intense, passionate matches women’s grass-court tennis has to offer.

    You can also attend the ATP 500 tournament at The Queen’s Club from June 16-22, where Carlos Alcaraz and Jack Draper will be among the star attractions.

    Go to Seat Unique for your Queen’s Championships hospitality tickets and enjoy these perks:

    Starting from £330
    Love Fifteen

    • Seasonal two-course buffet lunch with hot & cold elements
    • Complimentary bar of Pimm’s, beer, selected wines and soft drinks throughout the day
    • Tables for 10-12, smaller groups on shared tables
    • Official Andy Murray Arena East Stand ticket (Map below shows seat location)
    • Located on the ground floor of the South Pavillion
    • Located close to the Andy Murray Arena
    • Take-away beverages to sip during play
    • Casual dining environment
    • Self-serve elements
    • Afternoon tea buffet
    • Garden area on the ground floorClub Lounge
      • Three-course plated summer menu
      • Traditional afternoon tea
      • Welcome drink on arrival
      • Complimentary bar of spirits, Pimm’s, selected wines, beer and soft drinks
      • Official Andy Murray Arena Premium South Stand ticket – behind the server (Map below shows seat location)
      • Located on the first floor of the South Pavillion
      • Access to outdoor terrace overlooking the practice courts, with an exclusive private garden
      • Private tables of 2 or more
      • Live music

      * Please note that the exact inclusions you will receive may vary based on which hospitality package you select.
       

      A special Wimbledon experience

      After the Queen’s Club tournaments adventure, the attention turns to the greatest tennis tournament of them all at Wimbledon, which will run from June 30 until July 13.

      The who’s who of the tennis world will be in action at the All England Club, and you can see them thanks to the Wimbledon Debentures, where you will have tickets to Court No.1 or Centre Court.

      Wimbledon Debentures
      Packages starting from £1,899
      VIP Debenture & Group Booking – VIP Debentures

      • Access to the Debenture facilities on the day, with food and drinks available to purchase
      • Debenture Seating within the Middle Tier of Court No.1

      * While Seat Unique sell Debenture Tickets, please note that they are not an official hospitality provider to the AELTC or The Championships
       

      Must-visit Queen’s and Wimbledon

      Our man Kevin Palmer vividly remembers his best memory at Wimbledon, as he was in the press box for the 2008 final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, which many observers believe is the best tennis match of all time.

      “Great sportsmen need a rival to push them to unimaginable levels and in Federer and Nadal, tennis was fortunate to have icons providing the ultimate clash of styles and characters. Both are equally brilliant and can sustain their genius for hour after hour,” said Kevin.

      “Every decade or so, sport transports its subjects to a unique place and all of us fortunate enough to lap up wondrous and beautiful events on Centre Court instantly knew we had been present for a battle that will live in tennis heaven forever.

      “Here was Federer, the longest-running world No 1 the game has seen, battling to hang on to his mantle against the only challenger who had troubled him throughout his reign.

      “Their previous meetings on the Centre Court were classics, but this was the best yet.

      “The champ went two sets behind, came back after saving match points in a mind-blowing fourth set tie-break, only to see his dream of a record-breaking sixth successive Wimbledon title snatched away at the last.

      “An epic story with so many twists along the way, this fairy tale was spread over four hours and 48 minutes, interrupted by two neatly spread rain delays and blessed with a finish as the final shafts of light faded in London’s SW19 at 9.15pm.

      “Emotions of the moment can devalue the achievements of past heroes, but just for once we deserve to get carried away with an occasion that will live forever. I was there and I’ll never forget it.”

      If we have an epic contest to match that Nadal vs Federer epic at Queen’s or Wimbledon this summer, you will not want to miss it and you can book your VIP experience through Seat Unique today.

    The post ‘Iconic’: Why you just HAVE to visit Queen’s and Wimbledon in style this summer appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Tim Henman makes bold Novak Djokovic Grand Slam prediction as he aims to silence his doubters

    Former British No 1 Tim Henman believes Novak Djokovic could still stun the tennis world by winning another Grand Slam title this year.

    Djokovic is sitting on 24 major titles, leaving him tied with Margaret Court in the all-time list of Grand Slam winners.

    He is in a league of his own in the men’s game as he is two Grand Slam wins ahead of his great rival Rafael Nadal, but his form over the last 18 months has led many to conclude his days of winning the biggest titles is the sport are over.

    Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have dominated the last six five Grand Slam tournaments, with Djokovic looking like a fading force after toasting his 38th birthday last Thursday.

    Yet Henman insists Djokovic does not need to explain to anyone why he is continuing to push for more glory, as he hinted the Serbian maestro could still silence his critics.

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    “It is very much a personal choice when you decide to finish,” Henman told Tennis365 at a TNT Sport and discovery+ event.

    “I made the decision in the space of about two hours and it was absolutely perfect timing for me. Others take a little longer.

    “For me, I don’t think Djokovic is one of the favourites in Paris, but I would put him in the mix to win at Wimbledon if he is fit and healthy.

    “He is one of the favourites on grass. I think he believes he can win on grass and I’m sure he believes he can win on clay. That’s why he’s out there.

    “Given his record on grass and the nature of the surface, the physical demands are a little bit less and the experience he has will be so important. So I would still think he has a shot at winning Wimbledon.”

    Djokovic has insisted he is confident of contending for major titles again, as he insists his status as an outsider at Roland Garros will inspire him to push for another title in Paris.

    “It’s a different chapter in my life,” said Djokovic. “I’m trying to navigate these waters. I’m not used to these kinds of circumstances, with two eliminations right from the start [Monaco and Madrid].

    “I don’t think that’s happened to me in the last 20 years. But I knew that, possibly, this moment would come.

    “It’s hard for me to sit down and think about everything I’ve accomplished in my career. Of course, I’m proud of it, but I still have the desire to win the biggest titles, to win the Grand Slams, to be one of the best players in the world. That’s why I’m here to play in the Geneva tournament, because I’m trying to do things well, to win more trophies. The motivation is still there.

    “It’s just that in this transition period, I have to understand my body, what needs to be done to maintain my health, while being in optimal condition to play my best tennis in the Grand Slams.

    “When I’m in a competition, I want to do my best, but the Grand Slams remain the peaks of our sport.”

    Djokovic has his sights set on clay courts in Paris for now, but he may have the best chance to achieve the last great goal of his career when he arrives at Wimbledon next month.

    READ NEXT: Rafael Nadal reveals devious text from Andy Murray as ‘Big 4’ are reunited

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    The post Tim Henman makes bold Novak Djokovic Grand Slam prediction as he aims to silence his doubters appeared first on Tennis365.

  • Emma Raducanu slams French Open organisers ahead of Iga Swiatek showdown

    Emma Raducanu has hit out at French Open organisers, after suggesting the top players are be given more time to practice on show courts in the second Grand Slam of 2025.

    Raducanu beat China’s Wang Xinyu 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and 44 minutes – the joint-longest match of her career on clay – in a match played on the tight and compact Court 8 at Roland Garros.

    Even though she is a former Grand Slam champion after her memorable US Open win in 2021, Raducanu is not among the seeds at the French Open and therefore has to accept playing on the outside courts.

    That is certain to change when she takes on Iga Swiatek in the second round, with the clash against the defending champion certain to be on one of the bigger courts.

    That is a concern for Raducanu, after she claimed she is not getting enough time to practice on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

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    “I feel like certain players get preferred treatment,” said Raducanu.

    “I honestly think it’s really difficult, because the tournament don’t really help in terms of getting you court time on the bigger courts or on like the match courts, really.

    “I feel like, I don’t know, certain players get preferred treatment. It’s very different from at the annex, for example, across the road or other courts to then kind of jump onto Chatrier or jump onto a stadium. It isn’t easy.

    “I wish they would give us more opportunities on the stadium or bigger courts, especially if we’re going to play on them.

    “That court today, it was cute, intimate. I like you can really feel the fans and their support, because sometimes on a bigger court, if it is not full, it feels a little bit empty. There you’re right in the thick of it.

    There is a lot going on. There are other courts around. There’s a lot of noise. There’s music. But it was good I think for me to stay focused and really centred on the match in front of me. But yeah, it does take a little bit of just adjustment.”

    Raducanu will be hoping to use the day off she has before the Swiatek clash to recover from an illness that so nearly derailed her efforts against Wang.

    “I don’t feel great. It would have felt worse if I had lost. I was really struggling from the start,” added Raducanu.

    “She was a tough opponent but I’m really happy to have found a way. Opening rounds are never easy. I haven’t been here for three years so it was a combination of several things.

    “I knew I had to start well because it would give me the best chance to keep fighting. When I lost serve at the end it wasn’t the end of the world.

    “There are positives. Like a lot of top champions in the first round, they’ve struggled but given themselves another opportunity despite how they’re feeling.

    “That’s a quality that is not easy to teach. My character, heart and fight really came through today and I’m proud of that.”

    READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu’s alarming health update does not bode well ahead of Iga Swiatek showdown

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  • Taylor Fritz set for major rankings blow after shock French Open exit

    Taylor Fritz became the biggest casualty of the French Open so far on Monday, with the fourth seed beaten in his opening-round match at Roland Garros.

    World No 4 Fritz never came close to discovering his best tennis out on Court Simonne-Mathieu, with the US Open runner-up falling 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to Daniel Altmaier.

    It is a second top-10 win at the French Open for world No 66 Altmaier, with the German having stunned eighth seed Jannik Sinner in the second round back in 2023.

    However, it is undoubtedly a disappointing loss for American ace Fritz, who has struggled with injury and consistency across the clay swing.

    It is the first time since the 2022 US Open that he has lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam, and his ATP ranking will now suffer as a result.

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    What ranking points will Fritz drop?

    Fritz’s 2024 French Open campaign was the best of his career, with the US star reaching the second week at Roland Garros for the first time.

    The American, seeded 12th at the time, was ultimately beaten in the fourth round by two-time runner-up Casper Ruud, though it was a breakthrough run for him at the second Grand Slam of the season.

    Fritz earned 200 ranking points for his run to the round of 16, though, with only 10 points available in the opening round, will drop 190 points when the rankings update post-tournament.

    That means the US star will fall from 4,675 points to 4,485 points, and he is guaranteed to fall out of the top four regardless of other results.

    Who can take advantage?

    Rankings wise, the big winner looks set to be world No 5 and Roland Garros fifth seed Jack Draper, who will not start his campaign until Tuesday.

    Draper holds 4,610 ranking points and, with just opening-round points to defend at the tournament, is now guaranteed to be ranked above Fritz post-tournament.

    The Brit is provisionally fourth in the live rankings, and he could become just the fourth British man to crack the top four, following Andy Murray, Tim Henman, and Greg Rusedski.

    Draper will move to 4,650 points with a victory in his opening-round match against Mattia Bellucci on Tuesday, and would hypothetically hold 6,600 points with a run to the title.

    That could be enough to move up to a high of world No 3, though he would need to both win the title and hope current world No 3 Alexander Zverev suffers an early exit.

    Another player who could benefit from Fritz’s early defeat is world No 6 and sixth seed Djokovic, who also starts his campaign on Tuesday.

    The Serbian holds 4,230 points in the official ATP Rankings and is defending 400 quarter-final points in Paris, which means he drops 390 points to 3,840 in the live rankings.

    However, he would sit just 255 points behind Fritz if he were to defend his quarter-finalist points, and a run to the semi-final would see him also move ahead of the American.

    Djokovic would hold 5,830 points if he were to win the title, potentially moving up to fourth, depending on Draper’s result.

    Fritz’s exit is also good news for Lorenzo Musetti, the current world No 7 – who could also move above the American in the rankings.

    Seeded eighth in Paris, the Italian is in the Fritz quarter of the draw and is now arguably the favourite to reach the semi-final.

    Read NextT365 Fantasy French Open predictions: Alcaraz ‘has the edge’ as Sabalenka ‘the player to beat’

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