The boys’ and girls’ events are under way on the terre battue of Porte d’Auteuil
©Nicolas Gouhier / FFTYoung French player Moise Kouame
The compelling storylines of the junior tournaments are starting to unfold at Roland-Garros 2025.
The first RG boys’ singles tournament was held in 1947, the girls followed in 1953, and the junior roster has provided a path to the very top ever since.
Take the men’s side: Tommy Paul (2015), Alexei Popyrin (2017) and Holger Rune (2019) have all lifted the junior trophy in the past decade and all three have reached the main draw Last 16 at RG 2025.
Over in the women’s ranks, Coco Gauff (2018) is perhaps the ultimate role model for transitioning from the juniors to Grand Slam glory. Earlier this week in the second round of the women's singles, the US Open 2023 champion faced qualifier Tereza Valentova, who was the girls’ champion in Paris last June.
There are no Grand Slam singles champions in either junior draw; the chance to create waves among the 64-player major is up for the taking.
©Cedric Lecocq / FFT
Coco Gauff with the junior trophy at Roland-Garros in 2018
The boys’ singles is spearheaded by Spain’s Andres Santamarta Roig. The top seed will need to be sharp from the start against French wild card Ferdinand Livet Novkirichka.
No.5 seed Jagger Leach and Cruz Hewitt have major tennis pedigrees. Leach, among 19 Americans across both singles draws, is the son of three-time Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport, and Hewitt, who trained with renowned coach and Roland-Garros 1966 champion Tony Roche to prepare for Paris, is the son of former world No.1 Lleyton.
Home hopes are headed by Moise Kouame (pictured). The top-ranked French player across the boys’ and girls’ singles at world No.834 leads 29 compatriots in both draws for local fans to cheer on.
©Philippe Montigny / FFTEmerson Jones in the girls' doubles at RG2024
Girls’ No.1 seed Emerson Jones has already experienced a Grand Slam main draw having played in the Australian Open in January. The 16-year-old managed to take two games off world No.11 Elena Rybakina.
Jones plays American qualifier Capucine Jauffret and is hoping to become the first Australian talent to win a junior singles title in Paris since 1968.
No.3 seed Jeline Vandromme will be flying the flag for Belgium as she seeks to become the second girl from her nation to win this prestigious prize after four-time Roland-Garros champion Justine Henin (1997).
Among other leading contenders here in Paris are twin sisters and Australian Open 2025 girls’ doubles champions Kristina and Annika Penickova.
ROLAND-GARROS
19 May - 8 June 2025
