Alcaraz aware of expectation, Zverev shaken, Swiatek ultra-positive: 10 players revelations to know before Roland-Garros
The players’ press conference at Roland-Garros media day was packed with information. Here are the 10 things you need to know before the tournament begins
After the draw on Thursday, Friday was a day of learning at Roland Garros, with Media Day. The players took turns at the press conference to talk about a wide range of subjects. Here are the 10 things you need to know before the tournament kicks off on Sunday 25 May 2025.
On clay, everything depends on Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz, the new king of clay? When asked in a press conference about being the benchmark on clay, the player to beat on this surface, he was a little hesitant. He is still a long way from the ultimate domination of his compatriot Rafael Nadal, but he feels that the outcome of matches depends on him, his attitude and his decisions on court.
“Honestly, I don’t think so. Jannik, for example, had an extraordinary week in Rome, but he was coming off a three-month break, and that lack of matches takes its toll, especially when you’re approaching major tournaments. I also had some difficult moments and some close matches that I could easily have lost. But it’s true that I feel very good, very comfortable and very happy with the level I’ve reached. And yes, in most tournaments and matches, I have the impression that things depend on me – if I find the right path, the right state of mind to approach the matches. How I feel, whether I’m enjoying myself or not, all that really influences the way I play and how I behave on the pitch. In that sense, yes, a lot depends on me.”
First round : G. Zeppieri (Monday)
Zverev has a scare
A tennis player’s life is full of travel, usually by plane. Alexander Zverev will long remember his journey from Hamburg to Paris! At a press conference, the 2024 French Open finalist confessed that he had had a lot of trouble getting to the capital because of the very capricious weather.
“My trip over was phenomenal, actually. Some funny stories there. My trip here was funny because we were supposed to fly yesterday evening at 6:45 p.m., and we took off from Hamburg, and we were flying together with Lehecka, Nakashima, some doubles guys, and we got struck by lightning, funny enough.
“So we had to do an emergency landing back in Hamburg. Couldn’t find another plane, so everybody else flew the next morning. I took another plane and flew around 1:00 a.m., so I arrived here at 3:00.
“So that was quite funny. It was the first time experience got struck by lightning midair, which is funny because it was a little noise, no real wobbling, nothing, but yeah. So that was my trip over.”
Zverev will play his first-round tie in Paris against American Learner Tien.
PSG’s Champions League final affects the French players’ plans
The men’s UEFA Champions League final will pit Paris Saint-Germain against Inter Milan on Saturday 31 June at 9pm in Munich. It’s a historic match, and one that’s causing quite a stir at Roland-Garros for the home players. At a press conference, Gaël Monfils said he would like to attend the match in a week’s time, but he will have to make some compromises!
“For the moment, I don’t have a ticket, but don’t forget that my wife is also playing, so it’s not just me. Getting the ticket isn’t the problem. We’ll just have to see if I can get there. There’s one tournament, mine, and there’s another tournament, so that’s the worry.”
France’s No 1 Arthur Fils is also interested in the match, but he is not planning to go for the time being as he has ambitions to be in the second week of the French Open. However, he does hope not to be scheduled for the night session on Saturday 31 May.
“I’ve planned to go to the match… no…,” he laughed. “It’s a really big final, that’s for sure. I’m going to watch it in my room and I’m not going to lose any energy over it, I hope not, but I’ll be going all out. What about the schedule? I’m going to have a chat with Amélie! We’ll see.”
Monfils faces Hugo Dellien in the first round; Fils faces Nicolas Jarry.
Sabalenka stronger than ever
World No 1 and winner in Madrid, Aryna Sabalenka is one of the favourites to win the French Open. The Belarusian has never played in the final in Paris, but that’s not her objective because ‘you can lose in the final’, she told a press conference on Friday. Sabalenka made no secret of the fact that she was mentally and physically ready to win the tournament.
“Knowing that there is someone chasing me or I’m, like, I have a target on my back right now, I love it,” she said, adding: “Definitely I think throughout the years I improved a lot, and today I feel physically, mentally, and I think my game is pretty much ready to play on clay.”
Sabalenka opens the tournament on Sunday on Court Philippe-Chatrier against Kamilla Rakhimova.
Swiatek’s positive attitude
Four-time winner of the French Open, Iga Swiatek arrives in Paris this year with a big question mark. The world number five has not won a single tournament on clay this season and her level of play is far from her usual standards. Nothing to worry about, however, as the Polish player explained in her press conference that she wanted to be a little more positive, both on and off the court.
“I want to be more positive about what I’m doing and not focused too much on the mistakes a little bit and kind of just go for it, be more brave.”
Swiatek, currently the world No 5, opens her campaign against Rebecca Sramkova.
Medvedev playing best tennis of his life on clay
Daniil Medvedev is a player known for not being very comfortable on clay. He has nevertheless won one major tournament on this surface, the Rome Masters 1000 in 2023. This season, his best finish was a quarter-final in Madrid, where he lost to eventual winner Casper Ruud. So what can the Russian expect at Roland Garros in 2025? The man himself seems pretty confident, and even said that he had never felt better on clay! Stay tuned…
“On clay I personally feel like I’m playing, honestly, the best level of my life on clay, even considering Rome title. A lot of things came together. If we talk about the game, like the movement, the game, the feeling of the game, I do think I play my best season on clay…On clay I feel like I’m even better than before. So that’s all I can answer. That’s good for Roland-Garros because I’ll try to show it.”
Medvedev will open his tournament against Cameron Norrie and is Novak Djokovic’s theoretical opponent in the last 16.
Ten years on, Wawrinka’s shorts are still being talked about
10 years after his only victory at Roland Garros, Stan Wawrinka is still in the main draw, thanks to an invitation from the organisers. In 2015, the Swiss beat Novak Djokovic in the final to claim his second Grand Slam title. That edition was marked by Wawrinka’s red patterned shorts, which caused quite a stir. At a press conference, the Swiss player revealed that he had kept a few copies of this piece of history!
“Do I think about it? Yes, because I’m reminded of it quite often. As I’ve always said, I’m not one to look to the past, especially when I’m still a player. I have to live in the present. It’s been ten years. I’ve been reminded of that a lot this year. But it’s not something I tend to think about every day. When I think about shorts, yes, I have kept some of them very carefully.”
Age of maturity for Tsitsipas
Stefanos Tsitsipas arrives at Roland-Garros without having won a title on clay in 2025, but the main thing is elsewhere. The Greek player, finally free of his father’s coaching influence, seems happier on and off the court – an impression he confirmed in a press conference on Friday during the media day at Roland-Garros.
” I’ve acknowledged it. I’ve accepted it. I know that there is a lot of discomfort that comes with that, being used to my own ways, being used to certain patterns, situations that were occurring on a repetitive mode. I feel like I’ve escaped that a little bit and I’m more in control of what I want and what I think is necessary for me.
“Having said that, I feel like I am my own boss, much clearer. I’ve never worked harder in my life. That is a bonus. That is a plus. I keep pushing myself to the limits every single day.”
He added: “I was absolutely ready for something like this. I think it also allows me to form more into an adult. I felt like I was mature at the time, but there are certain things and certain ways that I need to impose within my life to take bigger responsibilities.
“I think that will also teach me how to mature faster and how to be faced against difficult challenging situations, not just on the tennis court but outside of it as well.
“I’ve definitely learnt massively in that occasion. It has helped me form into a much stronger and a much more decisive player and person at the same time.”
Tsitsipas, seeded No 20, begins the tournament against Etcheverry, with Ben Shelton (No 13) his theoretical opponent in the third round and Alcaraz in the last eight.
Gasquet 100% fit
Delayed in his preparations for the French Open by a calf injury, Richard Gasquet will be in Paris for the last tournament of his career. The Frenchman, who will face his compatriot Terence Atmane in the first round before a possible meeting with Jannik Sinner in the second, reassured everyone at his press conference. He is playing well in training and feels 100% physically, which is good news for “The Virtuoso”.
“I’ve been having pains, pains in my calves for about a month, since Monaco, I’ve had quite a few aches and pains. I’ve had a bit of stress with it once or twice. I couldn’t play, I came back on the pitch, then I got injured again. So a lot of stress. I’m wondering how things are going to work out. But over the last few days, I’ve been able to train and tell myself that I’m going to go out on the pitch at 100%. So that’s a success, because I wasn’t quite sure.”
Sinner expecting hostile Paris crowd
On his return to competition following a three-month suspension, Jannik Sinner received a warm welcome from the public at his home in Rome. Sinner mania raged in the Italian capital, and the 23-year-old even met the Pope during his week leading up to the final. But at Roland-Garros, things are likely to be very different – not least because Jannik Sinner will be facing a Frenchman, Arthur Rinderknech, in the first round. Taylor Fritz already experienced this sensation against this same player in 2023 at Roland-Garros, and the French public heckled the American quite a bit. So the Italian knows what to expect.
“It’s definitely going to be different. I know that. But I don’t think they have something against me, no? It’s right that they support the players who are from here, who are local here. It’s the same when I play against American player in US Open. So it’s normal. You know, I got an amazing atmosphere in Rome because I’m Italian. It’s right that the player who play in this city or country, that they got more support.
“So I know that. Last year I played also against some French players here. So I know a little bit what to expect. Different moment because whatever happened happened. So let’s see.”
