The 2025 French Open is set for a thrilling start as defending champion Carlos Alcaraz opens his campaign against Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the first round. The main draw for the Grand Slam tournament, which runs from 25 May to 8 June, was announced on Thursday (22 May).
Alcaraz, ranked world number two, will face a seasoned opponent in Nishikori. The 35-year-old is a former US Open finalist, a three-time French Open quarter-finalist, and an Olympic bronze medalist from Rio 2016. Despite their long careers, this will be their first ATP Tour meeting.
The young Spaniard is aiming to win back-to-back Roland-Garros titles—an achievement last accomplished by Rafael Nadal, another Spanish tennis legend.
On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek begins her title defense against Rebecca Sramkova. Swiatek, currently seeded fifth, is targeting a historic fourth straight French Open win—a feat that hasn’t been matched in over 100 years in women’s tennis.
Swiatek and Sramkova last faced off at the 2025 Australian Open, where Swiatek came out on top. If she advances, Swiatek could face a potential second-round showdown with 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
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