Women’s first round popcorn: Osaka set for seed showdown

Naomi Osaka v Paula Badosa (10)

Expect a packed crowd for this superstar duo.

Spain’s Paula Badosa has re-established herself at the very top table of the WTA, breaking back into the top 10 for the first time in three years following a semi-final run at the Australian Open.

Over the net will be the resurgent Naomi Osaka, who has openly said that clay is not her preferred platform for major glory. However, the four-time Grand Slam champion won the WTA 125K Saint-Malo title on French clay at the start of the month.

“Kinda ironic to win my first trophy back on the surface that I thought was my worst. That’s one of my favourite things about life though,” Osaka said on Instagram. “There’s always room to grow and evolve.”

Badosa will need to be ultra sharp to fend off her soaring opponent.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Zheng Qinwen (8)

Zheng Qinwen will be delighted to be back on golden grounds, where she topped the podium at the Paris Olympics last summer.

The Chinese star will hope to replicate that form at Roland-Garros 2025 and is facing an opponent who also knows what it takes to succeed on the terre battue.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has bundles of experience as well as a runners-up spot at RG 2021 to call upon.

On top of that, former No.11 Pavlyuchenkova won their only previous meeting 7-5, 6-1 on the hard courts of Cincinnati last August.

Karolina Muchova (14) v Alycia Parks

Czech all-court queen Karolina Muchova has also experienced a deep run at Roland-Garros.

At RG2023 the world No.14 outmanoeuvred Aryna Sabalenka to book a maiden major final, where she pushed Iga Swiatek to the brink in a three-set thriller.

To get past Muchova an opponent needs an abundance of power and the USA's Alycia Parks never shies away from taking the game to her opponent.

The American, yet to advance beyond the first round in Paris, relishes the big stage and will welcome the chance to show her full potential against Muchova.

Elena Rybakina (12) v Belinda Bencic

Belinda Bencic’s recent form has been one of the talking points of the season.

The Tokyo 2020 gold medallist returned to competitive play in October following maternity leave and has conjured up a series of head-turning results.

The Swiss completed a fairytale week in Abu Dhabi at the start of February, defeating top seed Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the semi-finals.

The pair are reunited in Paris at the first hurdle of RG2025. Can the Kazakh, currently at the semi-final stage in Strasbourg, serve up revenge?

Yanina Wickmayer v Victoria Azarenka

Welcome back to former world No.12 Yanina Wickmayer. The Belgian has returned from maternity leave and defied a series of back issues to launch into action in 2025.

A US Open semi-finalist in 2009, the 35-year-old will need all her major knowhow when she takes on two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka.

Of the two fierce competitors, Azarenka holds a 2-0 record in their battles, most recently winning 7-5, 6-4 at the US Open - although that was a decade ago.

There will be no free points here; the victor will have to dictate play for that opening win.