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French Open 2026: Swiatek and De Minaur through, Boulter and Jodar in action on day two – live | French Open 2026
Key events
Billy Munday is here to steer you through some more Roland Garros coverage.
Swiatek storms to a 6-1, 6-2 victory against Jones
Tough first round match for Jones. Swiatek may have struggled last year on clay but this was just too easy for her. The world No 3 wins it with three breaks to one but Swiatek’s relentless precision closed it out convincingly on Court Philippe-Chatrier in just under one hour.
*Jones 1-6, 2-5 Swiatek (* denotes server): Some double faults from Jones; Swiatek digs deep with a backhand return, and Jones’s backhand goes long under pressure. The Pole breaks serve and takes the game.
Another email comes in on Raducanu’s exit yesterday (see 11.16 BST).
Derek Stubbs writes in:
Winning the US Open was the worst thing that could have happened to her. It was obvious at the time that it was a freak result due to the effects of Covid on so many better players. She has spent her life since then trying to live up to a standard which is simply beyond her – hence the injuries, illnesses, and constant change of coaches, to say nothing of the media hype, which has been totally out of proportion to her meagre achievements and talent.
I certainly think media hype and her injuries have not helped and maybe in another era where the women’s game isn’t as strong as it is now, she would be performing better. We’re also seeing more well-rounded players and less surface specialists. Could she have thrived if she homed in on hard court?
Send me an email if you have any thoughts on anything Roland Garros.
Jones 1-6, 2-4 Swiatek* (* denotes server): Swiatek holds to love. She wins it with an ace after zero errors and Jones has no answers.
*Jones 1-6, 2-3 Swiatek (* denotes server): Jones crawls back after two Swiatek unforced errors opened the door and the Australian’s backhand winner sealed the break. She then holds with a crisp serve on game point.
Jasmine Paolini, a finalist here at Roland Garros, gets through her tricky match against Yastremska where after weathering a scrappy first set with five combined breaks, Paolini dominated the second to seal her first-round victory.
Kasatkina also triumphs with a composed 6-4, 6-4 victory over Sonmez. Both sets featured lively break exchanges, but after Sonmez’s early break for 3-1 in the second, Kasatkina fought back brilliantly, three breaks to two, for the win.
Jones 1-6, 0-2 Swiatek* (* denotes server): The world No 3 wins the opening two games of this set. The unforced errors are pilling up for Jones.
Huge upset as the Paris 2024 Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who won on gold on these courts, is out in the first round after losing to the Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska 6-4, 6-0.
We will bring you the quotes from both players when they come.
Some scores from across the grounds:
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Paolini 7-5, 5-3 Yastremska
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De Minaur 6-4, 6-4, 1-1 Samuel
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Kasatkina 6-4, 5-4 Sonmez
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Van Assche 6-4, 4-2 Gaubas
Swiatek takes the first set 6-1 against Jones
Swiatek holds to love and takes the set with a clinical finish – three Jones forehand errors and a body-serve ace wrapped it up in four swift points.
The Pole takes the first set by breaking Jones three times. Jones grabbed one break but Swiatek’s groundstrokes dominated throughout.
*Jones 1-5 Swiatek (* denotes server): Swiatek is making it look so easy now. Jones never found her footing with three unforced errors surrendered a 0-40 deficit and Swiatek converted at the first opportunity.
Jones 1-4 Swiatek* (* denotes server): Quick game as Swiatek’s only mistake is a double fault to make it 30-15. Another forehand winner and she holds.
*Jones 1-3 Swiatek (* denotes server): Jones is trying to vary her shots and she hits a good slice but Swiatek is beating the teenager with two forehand winners for two break points. A rally of 10 shots follows and another Swiatekforehand winner gives her the break.
Jones 1-2 Swiatek* (* denotes server): Better from Jones. Six shots of baseline exchanges, and Jones finishes it off with a forehand winner past Swiatek to make 30-15 in her favour. Swiatek’s backhand then goes long after 11 shots between the pair. However Swiatek crawls back and takes it to deuce. The pair exchange advantages for a while but Jones strikes and gets the break back with a forehand winner.
*Jones 0-2 Swiatek (* denotes server): Swiatek breaks Jones at love. Three break points at 0-40, sealed with a crushing forehand winner.
Jones 0-1 Swiatek* (* denotes server): Swiatek takes the first game with relative ease, a dominant hold to love. Jones hit three unforced errors as Swiatek’s groundstrokes controlled every rally.
My early prediction is that I am worried this might get ugly. Again, Jones has never played a senior clay court match. Not even a qualifier or a warm up tournament. This is such a big ask.
I will be focusing on the Jones v Swiatek match but will bring you updates across the courts in between. For now, a quick email from Rob:
Watching Raducanu was just sad yesterday. I don’t think anyone can take her slam away from her but it is looking more and more like that was just a freak result that will never happen again.
Do you have any thoughts on Raducanu’s exit? Or any predictions for today’s matches? I want to hear them. Get in touch via email.
Alex De Minaur takes the first set 6-4 against Toby Samuel. The eighth seed broke the Briton in the fifth game after a grueling 23-shot rally, held off a break-back, and sealed it with a 193km ace.
Iga Swiatek kicks off her bid for a fifth French Open title on Court Philippe-Chatrier against the Australian teenager Emerson Jones. Jones has never played on clay at the WTA level – what a challenge this is going to be.
Jasmine Paolini takes the first set against Dayana Yastremska. The Italian holds to love with four clean points to make it 6-5 with Yastremska’s returns kept finding the net or sailing long. In the final game the two traded breaks throughout, but a crucial 0-40 break in the final game sealed it for the 13th seed.
Day two order of play
Here is today’s order of play on the main courts.
Court Philippe-Chatrier
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Emerson Jones v (3) Iga Swiatek
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Veronika Erjavec v (2) Elena Rybakina
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(32) Ugo Humbert v Adrian Mannarino
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Hugo Gaston v Gael Monfils
Court Suzanne-Lenglen
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(22) Arthur Rinderknech v Jurij Rodionov
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(7) Elina Svitolina v Anna Bondar
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Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah v (6) Amanda Anisimova
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Daniel Merida v (5) Ben Shelton
Court Simonne-Mathieu
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(13) Jasmine Paolini v Dayana Yastremska
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Stan Wawrinka v Jesper de Jong
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(15) Casper Ruud v Roman Safiullin
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Anastasia Zakharova v (10) Karolina Muchova
Before we get to today’s action, a recap on what went down on day one. An emotional Emma Raducanu was at a loss to explain her horror start at the French Open as she crashed to a first opening-round loss.
The British No 1 failed to win a game in a one-sided opening set against Argentina’s Solana Sierra, hitting zero winners and making 15 unforced errors. Raducanu looked like she could be heading for one of the worst defeats of her career when she trailed 4-1 in the second set but she found a belated foothold, fighting back to force a tie-break before losing 6-0 7-6 (4).
“It was difficult,” said the 23-year-old, who made 42 unforced errors in total. “I don’t think I’ve fully processed it yet, so it’s hard to speak about the match right now.
“But I have to at least take the fact that, from a set and 4-1 down, I came back and made it competitive in the second set. I’m pretty disappointed. Obviously, I wanted to do better.
“I went on the court, I felt like the conditions were extremely lively and I felt like I wasn’t able to trust my shots and didn’t feel like I had control over the ball. I think probably just a bit light on matches, a bit light on confidence coming into the tournament.
“The first set happened super quickly, and it’s not a nice feeling when the points and the games are going very, very fast. I’m glad at least in the second set I was able to get a few games on the board.”
Elsewhere, tears of joy flowed for Fran Jones after a long-awaited first grand slam victory at the French Open. The 25-year-old Briton has had a torrid year, with a leg injury and concussion keeping her off the court and pushing her back outside the Top 100, and she could not contain her emotions after battling from a set down to defeat former semi-finalist Beatriz Haddad Maia 1-6 7-6 (4) 6-2.
“Normally I’m one to say you shouldn’t cry until the tournament is over but I think, everything I’ve been through this year, it’s really been challenging,” said Jones. “I know I’m dangerous on this surface. I know I’ve not been on my best form, but it gives you belief.”
Preamble
Bonjour! The sun is shining in Paris and day two of Roland Garros brings a packed slate of opening-round action with the biggest stars beginning their campaigns across the courts.
Iga Swiatek opens her title bid against Emerson Jones, with the world No 3 expected to set the standard on her favourite surface where she has won four grand slams. Elena Rybakina is also in action, hoping to follow up her Australian Open victory with a strong showing on the clay. Katie Boulter also takes the court, hoping to equal and eventually go beyond her best finish in Paris – the second round.
Rafael Jodar’s rise this year has been one of the storylines of the season so far with the young Spaniard being seeded at the French Open after being ranked outside the world’s Top 700 not too long ago. He faces the fast-paced Aleksandar Kovacevic. Ben Shelton faces another young Spaniard in Daniel Merida while the former champion Stan Wawrinka takes on Jesper de Jong in his final season on tour.
So much action, so much to look forward to. Join me.
New rules for pop-up campsites in Wales are dubbed “unworkable” and “damaging”.
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Police said residents who were in the property at the time had to be moved following the “extremely distressing experience”.
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Middle East crisis live: Iran says progress made on many issues with US but warns deal not ‘imminent’ | US-Israel war on Iran
Iran says progress on many issues with US but agreement not ‘imminent’
The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has been speaking at a news briefing about the contours of a potential deal with the US to end the war.
“It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion,” he said.
“But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent – no one can make such a claim.”
A potential deal reportedly includes a 60-day ceasefire extension, reopening the strait of Hormuz to international vessels and a plan for further negotiations over Iran’s much contested nuclear programme.
However, the deal has to be approved by Iran’s leadership, including the apparently hard to reach supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, which could take some time.
Key events
In a social media update, the IDF said that a drone was forced to perform an emergency landing in an “open area” in central Israel earlier today due to a technical malfunction.
“The aircraft was collected by IDF forces, there is no damage and no casualties,” it wrote in a short statement.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, will not participate in the UN security council meeting in New York due to issues related to a US visa, Al Jazeera quoted the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, as having said earlier.
Ebrahim Rezaei, the spokesperson of the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission, has said that time is working against the US and warned that Iran does not respond well to threats.
In a post on X, he wrote:
During the military war, our tactic was an eye for an eye; in the diplomatic war, it is action against action. Do not believe the bluff of the failed president; time is against the Americans.
If they want an agreement, they should negotiate; if they want $6 gas, they should stand firm and bluff until the grass grows under their feet. Iran does not bow to force or threats.
The US has repeatedly raised the prospect of a resumption of attacks on Iran if the negotiations do not bear fruit.
The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson cast doubt about how trustworthy the US were, saying there are no “guarantees” that Washington will honour whatever deal is agreed upon.
The current US-Israeli war on Iran and the 12-day war launched by Israel last June both began when Iran and the US were engaging in talks over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Esmail Baghaei also told journalists in the briefing that the focus of this phase of talks is not on “the nuclear issue” but “ending the war”, including Israel’s assault on Lebanon.
Iran says progress on many issues with US but agreement not ‘imminent’
The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has been speaking at a news briefing about the contours of a potential deal with the US to end the war.
“It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion,” he said.
“But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent – no one can make such a claim.”
A potential deal reportedly includes a 60-day ceasefire extension, reopening the strait of Hormuz to international vessels and a plan for further negotiations over Iran’s much contested nuclear programme.
However, the deal has to be approved by Iran’s leadership, including the apparently hard to reach supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, which could take some time.
Lead Iranian negotiator re-elected as parliament speaker
Iran’s top negotiator in talks with the US, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, has been reelected as the country’s parliamentary speaker, semi-official Fars news agency reported on Monday.
During military conflict Iran’s tactic was “an eye for an eye,” and in diplomatic conflict it is “action for action“, Ebrahim Rezaei, the spokesperson of the Iranian parliament, has said.
In a posting on X on Monday, he said:
During the military war, our tactic was an eye for an eye; in the diplomatic war, it is action against action. Do not believe the bluff of the failed president; time is against the Americans.
If they want an agreement, they should negotiate; if they want $6 gas, they should stand firm and bluff until the grass grows under their feet. Iran does not bow to force or threats.
Iran executed a man over charges related to the anti-government protests that took place nationwide in January, state media reported on Monday.
The individual was identified as Abbas Akbari, Reuters cited state media as saying.
Israeli strikes pounded south and east Lebanon on Sunday despite the ceasefire as the leader of Hezbollah expressed hope for an agreement between Iran and the US that also ends hostilities in Lebanon.
Lebanon’s health ministry raised the overall toll in the war since 2 March to 3,123 killed.
It said two people including a paramedic from the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Committee were killed on Sunday in Israeli raids.
A day earlier 11 people including six women and a child were killed in a single strike in the south’s Sir al-Gharbiyeh, the ministry said on Sunday, decrying a “massacre”.
Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have continued attacks on each other despite the nominal ceasefire, as mentioned.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said that “God willing, this [Iran-US] agreement will be finalised … and accordingly that we too will be among those included in this agreement” on a full cessation of hostilities.
After Qassem’s speech, US secretary of state Marco Rubio accused Hezbollah of trying to plunge Lebanon “back into chaos”.
Israel said on Monday a soldier was killed in southern Lebanon, taking to 23 the number of its troops killed in the war with Iran-backed Hezbollah.
A military statement cited by AFP named him as 19-year-old Sgt Nehoray Leizer of the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion, who “fell in combat in southern Lebanon”.
During the incident in which Leizer was killed, “an additional soldier was severely injured”, the Israeli military said separately on Telegram.
A total of 24 Israelis have been killed in the conflict – 23 soldiers and one civilian contractor – since hostilities resumed on 2 March.
Marco Rubio also told reporters in New Delhi that “Israel always has a right to protect itself”.
“If Hezbollah is going to launch missiles or launches missiles at them, Israel has every right to respond to that, or to prevent that from happening,” the US secretary of state was quoted as saying.
That’s always been understood. It’s being understood during the ceasefire.”
Israel and Hezbollah have continued trading strikes during the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, which began on 16 April and was recently extended by 45 days.
The potential deal between the US and Iran to end their war also reportedly requires Israel to stop its offensive in Lebanon.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Donald Trump had reaffirmed his support for Israel’s right “to defend itself against threats on all fronts, including in Lebanon”.
Summary
Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Monday that a deal to end the war with Iran could materialise “today”.
His comments came after oil prices plunged and Asian shares rose earlier in the day amid optimism that the US and Iran were close to an agreement that might secure a lasting end to the three-month war and reopen the strait of Hormuz. Oil prices hit a two-week low, with Brent crude futures falling 4.5% to $98.83 a barrel by 11.50pm GMT.
“We thought we might have some news last night, maybe today – I wouldn’t read too much into it,” Rubio said in New Delhi of a potential agreement.
“We have what I think is a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the straits,” he said. “It has a lot of support in the Gulf.”
Rubio’s remarks came after Donald Trump tempered expectations of a deal, saying on Sunday that he had told his negotiators “not to rush”. Negotiations with Iran were “proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner”, the US president said.
Middle East officials told the Associated Press on Sunday that the US was close to reaching a deal with Iran that would end the war and reopen the strait, a vital conduit for global energy supplies.
On Sunday Trump said the US blockade on Iranian ships in the Hormuz strait would “remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified and signed”. “Both sides must take their time and get it right,” he added.
As details of the possible agreement emerged over the weekend, critics including Trump’s former secretary of state Mike Pompeo said it offered little beyond the 2015 Iran nuclear deal negotiated by former president Barack Obama, from which Trump withdrew during his first term.
Chris Van Hollen, a Democratic member of the Senate foreign relations committee, said the deal’s reported outlines would amount to little more than “the prewar status quo” with Iran.
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