Sabalenka storms – Aryna Sabalenka surged into the French Open second round with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, leaning into a heat-softened, faster court. The day also brought a shock as Daniil Medvedev, playing on a wild card invitation, fell in five sets to 97th-
PARIS — When the tennis starts to speed up, it doesn’t just reward the best movers. It rewards the players willing to change their rhythm on purpose.
Aryna Sabalenka leaned into that idea on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Tuesday, using the heat to make her attack feel relentless. She took out 50th-ranked Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2, pressing with approaches to the net and finishing points with volley put-aways.
“It’s the most enjoyable part of the game right now — that I’m able to come to the net to play points there,” Sabalenka said. “I’m super proud that I was able to improve that part of the game.”
The conditions in Paris are doing plenty of work behind the scenes. With an unusually hot stretch over Roland Garros. net-rushing — a style usually reserved more for hard and grass courts — is suddenly viable because the court is drying out quicker and playing faster. For a third consecutive day, the temperature in Paris was forecast to rise to at least 32 degrees C.
“Let’s hope that this is the perfect condition for me,” Sabalenka said. “It suits my game really well.”
Sabalenka’s start in Paris also comes with a strong recent trail. She reached the final last year, losing to Coco Gauff, and she has won the Australian Open and the U.S. Open on hard courts.
Gauff was later set to open her title defence against fellow American Taylor Townsend.
In the other early match that caught the eye, 17th-seeded Iva Jovic continued her march by beating good friend Alexandra Eala 6-4, 6-2.
The biggest jolt, though, came with Daniil Medvedev. The top-ranked player was left searching for answers after a five-set loss to 97th-ranked Australian opponent Adam Walton. Walton’s path to the draw came through a wild card invitation from tournament organizers. and he made it count by winning 6-2. 1-6. 6-1. 1-6. 6-4.
On the same night schedule, top-ranked Jannik Sinner looks to extend his 29-match winning streak when he opens against French wild card Clement Tabur in the night session.
The day in Paris carried a simple message: when the court speeds up, commitment looks different. Sabalenka’s net game matched the faster surface. Medvedev, meanwhile, couldn’t find enough traction against Walton’s swing-and-compete momentum.
French Open Roland Garros Aryna Sabalenka Jessica Bouzas Maneiro Daniil Medvedev Adam Walton Iva Jovic Alexandra Eala Jannik Sinner Clement Tabur Coco Gauff Taylor Townsend heat wave Court Philippe-Chatrier
Heat makes tennis faster? So basically Sabalenka cheated with the weather lol.
I didn’t even know Court Philippe-Chatrier could be that hot. Medvedev losing to a 97th-ranked guy feels wild, like how did he drop that many games.
Wait Walton is Australian and he beat Medvedev with a wild card… so the wild card actually helped? Kinda makes it seem like the top seed was just off and blamed the court speed. Also why does it say sprint in the title like it’s a track meet
Sabalenka rushing the net sounds like she’s playing a different sport. If the court is “drying out” that fast then everyone’s gonna start doing volleys now right? I saw Medvedev was playing in five sets and thought he’d win anyway, so yeah this upset surprised me.