Court Philippe-Chatrier, second match
Iga Swiatek (5) vs Elena Rybakina (12)
Here’s an interesting, nay, startling fact: in the eight matches these two Grand Slam champions have played, all bar two have been on a hard court. And those two were on clay. And Elena Rybakina won them both.
Admittedly, she needed three sets to win in Stuttgart last year and was handed victory in Rome in 2023 when Iga Swiatek pulled out in the third set with a thigh injury, but Rybakina still has the wins over the great Queen of Clay. Overall, their rivalry stands at four wins apiece.
It is fair to say, then, that Rybakina and Swiatek know each other well. So well, in fact, that Swiatek really didn’t want to discuss it before this showdown. “We have been playing for many years a lot of matches, so we know our games,” she said, giving absolutely nothing away.
Rybakina was only marginally more forthcoming. "It's tough to play against Iga on clay,” she said, to no one’s surprise. “She spins the ball really well. She has unbelievable intensity on the court, so it is not easy.”
This really was not helping. What we do know is that, round by round, Swiatek is building confidence and momentum. That in itself is hardly earth-shattering news but after a title-free 12 months (and that hasn’t happened since 2019), it does hint that, at last, she is making progress.
As for Rybakina, her 6-2, 6-2 dismantling of Jelena Ostapenko in the last round showed that her big-hitting, clean striking game has found its perfect rhythm just in time to face the biggest challenge in women’s tennis: Iga at Roland-Garros.
Court Philippe-Chatrier, first match
Jasmine Paolini (4) vs Elina Svitolina (13)
Now that we are into the fourth round, life is a little easier for Elina Svitolina. Not that taking on Jasmine Paolini, last year’s finalist and the world No.4, is an easy task; it is just that now that her husband Gael Monfils is out of the tournament, home life is less stressful.
This year, she and Gael were playing on different days, which gave them no downtime.
“[When it’s like this] I feel like we're playing every single day mentally because you support the other half, and it almost feels like a second match,” she said.
She has coped with it well, though, and has yet to drop a set. And she beat Paolini at the Australian Open this year in their only previous match.
Court Suzanne-Lenglen, third match
Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs Amanda Anisimova (16)
It seems like a lifetime ago that Amanda Anisimova ripped through the 2019 Roland-Garros draw to reach the semi-finals without dropping a set. She was 17 and everything was new and exciting.
After that, the world watched and waited for her to become a contender at all the major tournaments. But life seldom goes according to plan.
A combination of injuries, the death of her father just months after that run in Paris and, two years ago, a protracted break from the sport to take care of her mental health, stopped her from kicking on to even greater achievements.
But now she is back and facing an old foe in Aryna Sabalenka. Holding a 5-2 win-loss record over the world No.1 (she won their last match in Toronto last summer) Anisimova knows what she has to do and, unlike many of Sabalenka’s rivals, she goes into this encounter with no fear.
“We're both pretty big hitters, so I'm sure we're going to be going at it back and forth a bit,” she predicted. “Obviously, she’s one of the best right now. She's No.1. I feel like it's always a good matchup. I really enjoy the fight and the challenge that she brings on.”
Sabalenka, too, loves a challenge. She is relishing being the player to beat this year. Swiatek may have made Roland-Garros her home in the past five years, winning four titles, but Sabalenka is the world No.1. And she loves it, particularly because when she was young, some of the coaches back home thought she could never get this far.
“I heard a lot saying I'm not smart enough,” she said, “that I'm stupid, and I'll never make it, and I don't have anything to make it to the top.”
Boy, were they ever wrong.
Court Philippe-Chatrier, third match
Ben Shelton (13) vs Carlos Alcaraz (2)
There are popcorn matches and there are firecracker matches. This should be a firecracker (although feel free to bring some popcorn, too).
Two of the most exciting players to watch facing off for a spot in the quarter-finals. It’s not exactly a hard sell, is it?
There will be the battle of the two forehands. Then there is the power of Ben Shelton’s serve against the trickery and variety of Carlos Alcaraz’s touch; the sheer chutzpah of both men as they create something out of nothing and, quite simply, the stunning shot-making of both players.
“Playing the defending champion,” Shelton enthused, “Round of 16, centre court, that's a pretty cool opportunity, pretty cool experience, that not a lot of people get to see in their lifetime.
“I'm definitely going to enjoy it and go out there and see what I can do, because I'm starting to gain some speed, gain a little bit of traction on this surface, and starting to see some of my best tennis. So I like to think of myself as dangerous whenever I get to that place.”
Both men bring an energy to the court like few others. Alcaraz has won both of their previous matches (both on hard courts) and he is the defending champion. On paper, he is the overwhelming favourite but, whatever the result, this should be fun to watch.
ROLAND-GARROS
19 May - 8 June 2025
©André Ferreira / FFT