Basavareddy shocks – Day 1 at Roland-Garros 2026 flipped on one match: world No.148 Nishesh Basavareddy stunned No.7 seed Taylor Fritz on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk extended her clay run, Alexander Zverev advanced, Hayley Baptiste saved two match points, and No
By the time the crowd settled into the roar of Day 1 at Roland-Garros, one swing of momentum had already turned the tournament on its head.
On Court Suzanne-Lenglen, world No.148 Nishesh Basavareddy sent the big-name spotlight sliding away from Taylor Fritz. Basavareddy stunned the No.7 seed 7-6(5). 7-6(5). 6-7(9). 6-1 in what’s been described as the biggest match of the 21-year-old wildcard’s career. After the win, Basavareddy said, “What a match.”.
It wasn’t the only storyline with heat on Day 1. Earlier, Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk beat Oksana Selekhmeteva to seal her 13th successive win on clay and move through to the second round.
In the men’s draw, No.2 seed Alexander Zverev eased past Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi and is set to face Czech Tomas Machac next.
The women’s bracket delivered pressure too. Hayley Baptiste defeated 2021 Roland-Garros champion Barbara Krejcikova, saving two match points along the way.
Mirra Andreeva, trying to put last year’s disappointment of losing to world No.361 Lois Boisson behind her, had a smoother passage. She got past French wildcard Fiona Ferro.
There was also a different kind of energy in Paris, the kind that arrives when a young crowd magnet starts clicking. Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca took on French qualifier Luka Pavlovic in a packed, loud Court experience, and came through in straight sets.
Under the lights of Court Philippe Chatrier, Novak Djokovic had to work for his second-round spot. He held off Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, the big-serving Frenchman who pushed him after Djokovic had dropped a set. Djokovic fought back to move through as he bids to win a 25th Grand Slam title.
Roland-Garros Day 1 gave plenty to miss—and even more to remember.
Roland-Garros 2026 Nishesh Basavareddy Taylor Fritz Marta Kostyuk Alexander Zverev Hayley Baptiste Barbara Krejcikova Mirra Andreeva Novak Djokovic Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Nishesh Basavareddy beat Taylor Fritz?? That’s crazy I didn’t even know he was that good.
Roland-Garros sounds like it’s always Paris chaos but in a tennis way. Fritz being the No.7 seed and still losing, yikes. I saw the score graphic and assumed it was a fluke set but four sets??
Wait so Basavareddy is world No.148 and beat the 7 seed, but isn’t Fritz like a top player on hard courts? Clay just randomizes everything I guess. Also I keep mixing up Marta Kostyuk with someone else, they all look the same in tennis outfits lol.
The part about Djokovic having to work and dropping a set… that’s why I don’t trust “easy path” headlines. Like they say he’s going for 25th but then it’s always a struggle anyway. And Hayley Baptiste saving two match points is wild, but then they still have all these big names moving on so idk, just feels like luck + crowd noise to me.