Qualifying preview: The only way is up

The gates opened at 9am on Monday on the opening day of men's and women's qualifying

Court 14 / Premier tour, Roland-Garros 2025©Nicolas Gouhier / FFT

Crowds enjoy qualifying around Court 14

 - Alix Ramsay

As the sun rose on Monday morning, there were 256 hopefuls anxiously packing their racket bags and munching their Corn Flakes. Every one of them will have had their eyes on one of the 32 places available in the main draw (16 in each of the men’s and women’s singles).

➡️ Live scores

➡️ Monday order of play

➡️ Women's Qualifying draw

➡️ Men's Qualifying draw

If they can win three matches in qualifying, that most precious of prizes will be theirs – that sounds simple enough, surely. But every match will be like a cup final: the opportunity to play at Roland-Garros proper has to be earned and the battle to get there is fierce.

For some, qualifying would present them with their first taste of Grand Slam life. For others, it would be a huge stepping stone as they make their way back from injury and try to rebuild their career and ranking. And for others again, qualifying would give them one last hurrah as their careers wind down and retirement beckons.

Bianca Andreescu openly admits to feeling older than her 24 years. In 2019, she seemed ready to take the world by storm as she won the US Open but it was not to be. A succession of injuries, mental health issues and sheer bad luck stopped her in her tracks time and again since that magical fortnight in New York.

A serious back problem wrecked her 2023 and 2024 seasons while this year, just as she thought she was ready to return, she was felled by appendicitis. As a result, she was only able to get back to work at the start of the clay court season.

Yet she is a firm believer in the theory that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and after every setback, she returns as determined as ever to resurrect her career. On Monday, she opens her account on Court Suzanne Lenglen (hers is the first match) against Xinxin Yao. And with all due respect to Yao, the sentimental vote will go to the Canadian. After all she has been through, she deserves a break.

Three to watch on Monday

Bernard Tomic (AUS) v Coleman Wong (HKG)

Court 6, first match

It does not seem that long ago that Tomic was one of the great, young hopes of Australian tennis but as he begins his challenge in Paris this year, he is now 32. And where once he was ranked No.17 in the world, he is now No.231. He also has not been in the main draw of a Grand Slam since January 2021 and if Wong maintains the momentum he has built this season, he may not be in Paris for too long. Aged 20, Wong reached the third round of the Miami Open in March, beating Ben Shelton to get there. Not bad for a man who had never won an ATP match until last September.

Harriet Dart (GBR) v Anastasiia Sobolieva (UKR)

Court 2, fifth match

It is fair to say that a clay court is not one of Dart’s happier hunting grounds. She has yet to win a main draw match on the surface this year and, indeed, has never won a main draw match at Roland Garros. And she has been trying for the past five years. No matter: a new day, a new challenge. And Sobolieva could present a real challenge. She has been hard at work on the second tier of professional events and won the Santa Margherita di Pula 2 in Italy last month.

Harriet Dart, Roland-Garros 2023, qualifying second round© Nicolas Gouhier/FFT

Harriet Dart has twice reached the third round at Wimbledon

Matteo Gigante (ITA) v Jerome Kym (SWI)

Court 9, first match

This is one of those chalk and cheese meetings. Gigante, standing 5ft 11ins (180cm), is, by tennis standards at least, not particularly gigante while Kym, all 6ft 6ins (198cm) of him, clearly is. Both men usually ply their trade on the Challenger circuit but even there they are vastly different. Kym, the world No.127 and nicknamed Geronimo, is more of a hard court and grass court man while Gigante, ranked No.164, prefers the clay (he won the Rome Challenger last month). They have never met before so today’s showdown will be a steep learning curve for both of them.

Get your tickets now!

The Roland-Garros 2025 Opening Week is shaping up to be particularly exciting! Tickets are still available to come and support the future stars of the circuit and watch training sessions with the biggest names on the WTA and ATP Tours.

Click HERE to buy your tickets on the official Roland-Garros 2025 ticketing website