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Goodness me, Walton hits the outside of the line with a forehand, then again with an overhead winner – that was so close to costing him a game. But he then nets … only for Mevedev to go long, burning a third break point, and from there, Walton secures his hold for 5-4 in the fifth.
Sakkari is making Noskova work hard to stay a break in front but, at 5-7 5-2 she’s a game away from forcing a decider. And back on Lenglen, Medvedev makes advantage on the Walton serve … only to go long with a forehand. The Aussie, though, can’t close from there, so round we go, Medvedev winning a net exchange to raise a second break point…
Walton isn’t going away, breaking Medvedev back for 4-4 in the fifth, and what a peculiar match this is. My sense is that the no 6 seed will do whatever it takes to get through, but he’s leaving himself little margin for error.
On Chatrier, Tsitsipas has started quickly, up 4-2 on Muller; Griekspoor and Arnaldi are level at 1-1 4-5, on serve; and Svajda has beaten Popyrin 3-6 6-3 7-6 7-5. Next on Court 13 is Norrie v Vallejo, so I’m going to stick that on and bin Tistsipas v Muller.
Back with Medvedev, he leads Walton 3-2 in the fifth, with a break, while Noskova has woken up, down 5-7 to Sakkari but up 4-1 in set two.
And don’t we need it. Much as the Sincaraz axis is pushing the game on, we can’t have them in every single final; we’re relyiing on the likes of Fonseca – and Kouame – to challenge them as soon as possible.
Of course, Cilic is past his best and maybe Kouame just happened to produce his best tennis against a fading force. But the match did not look like that, at all – the impression was of a brilliant talent seizing the opportunity offered because it could do no other.
Oh man, what a match and moment that was. We lost Monfils last evening, but what a way to replace him – we’ll see how it goes, of course, but I like absolutely everything I’ve seen of him. His game is terrific, full of touch and power; physically, he moves well and hits hard; mentally, he understands how to stay calm while maintaining an edge. I cannot wait to see where he goes from here.
Kouame takes the applause of the crowd and actually looks pretty calm, taking a moment when asked how he’s feeling. Lots of emotions, he says, it’s fantastic coming here to play. He didn’t know what to expect, but his team worked hard to be ready, and thanks to the fans who helped him with every single point.
It wasn’t easy to stay calm, he says, but he always wanted to stay focused and concentrate in the big moments; the crowd helped him. The drop shots worked pretty well today, he trained hard, and is looking forward to the second round – where he’ll meet Norrie or Vallejo – but the main thing is to enjoy life. Ain’t that the truth, young boss.
Moise Kouame beats Marin Cilic 7-6(4) 6-2 6-2
A forehand clobbered inside-out to the corner, and Kouame is the youngest man to win a match at this tournament since 1991! He strikes a pose and holds it, taking in a moment he’s worked for all his life, and we’ve seen a superstar this morning, the bouncing joy of youthfulness and talent affirming the existence of us all.
A double hands Cilic 15-all, but a backhand into the net takes Kouame two points away, then a netted return and he’s on the brink! What a performance this has been, a statement to the world: I am here. Know me.
Sakkari breaks Noskova at the first time of asking in set two, and I’ve no idea why this match wasn’t deemed worthy of commentary. But back with Kouame, he has a point for a double break, a Cilic serve looks wide, the umpire checks … and it was! The 17-year-old will now serve for the match at 7-2 6-2 5-1, his dominance increasing set by set, and i’ve seen nothing to make me think he won’t see this out.
I nip to the conveniences and return to see that Medvedev has taken set four against Walton, the match not at all close – sets of 2-6 6-1 1-6 6-1 – but also, extremely close, hence we’ll soon enjoy a decider. And on Mathieu, Kouame has broken and consolidated against Cilic; he leads 2-0 4-1, and is two games away from introducing himself to the world by way of ludicrous victory.
Excellent from Sakkari, a love hold sealed with an ace giving her a 7-5 lead against the in-form no 12 seed. She’s an absolutely brutal first-round draw.
Medvedev now leads Watton 4-0 in the fourth – a decider looks inevitable – while Cilic, down 6-7 2-6 1-2 to Kouame, has the trainer out for a medical timeout and back rub. And, now Sabalenla is safely through, on my third screen I’m watching Sakkari serving for the first at at 6-5 against Noskova.
Sabalenka tells Mats that she’s enjoying coming to the net more than anything, proud she’s improved her game enough in that aspect. She then thanks the crowd, reminding them to stay hydrated, before explaining that pressure is part of her life and, prompted, that she’s delighted to have been named sportswoman of the year at some recent awards. She hopes she’s a good example and the next generation take the best out of her.
Other than that, asked if the hot weather and fast courts are good for her, she says she’s still learning what suits her, enjoying it if it’s hot and fast but also cold and slow.
Next on Chatrier: Alexandre Muller v Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Aryna Sabalenka (1) beats Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4 6-2
Bouzas Maneiro played well in patches, but every time the pressure made demands of her, she wilted, ceding both sets with double faults. Next for the world no 1: Fruhvirtova or Jacquemot.
Oh, but Bouzas Maneiro isn’t going away, breaking for 2-5, and she has plenty of talent – she’s not gone beyond round four of a slam yet, but I’m sure she’s got that in her.
Bouzas Maneiro holds for 4-6 1-5, and Sabalenka will now serve for the match; assuming she closes, we’ll then proceed to Noskova 4-4 Sakkari.
Medvedev is, as Enid Blyton might’ve said, a really queer cove, following a set lost 1-6 by building a 3-0 lead in the next. Meantime, Kouame saves a breaking opportunity at 2-0 0-0, cementing the hold with a body-serve. He’s playing the big points superbly.
Again, Sabalenka is 4-0 up in a set, and this time, it seems unlikely she’ll let the lead go – she’s serving for 5-0 and, most likely, records a convincing victory in the next 10 minutes. But she doesn’t look impregnable – her brilliance is as fragile as it is devastating – which is why she “only” has four slams. She holds and moves a game away.
That should be a really good match – Navarro was a top-10 player not that long ago, prior to taking time off to resolve health issues, and beat Jovic en route to lifting the trophy in Strasbourg. But back with the now, Sabalenka rides out a break point to secure a hold for 6-4 3-0, while Cilic is seeking a hold to make Kouame serve for 2-0. and at 40-15, he looks set, but a stunning return, hooked from centre to corner, keeps him honest, we move to deuce and, after Cilic misses his shot completely, a backhand swept wide means the youngest player in the draw leads by two sets to love, 7-6 6-2! This is incredible behaviour, it really is.
Iva Jovic (17) beats Alexandra Eala 6-4 6-2
Next for her is Emma Navarro, who closed out against Janice Tjen to win 4 and 3.
Oh I say! Kouame powers through a love consolidation – what an affirming image that paints, may we all be so blessed – and is now a game away from a 2-0 lead at 7-6 5-2.
A fine drop from Kouame, disguised and tickled beautifully, raises a second break point … and when Cilic swipes a backhand into the net, he’s again cupping an ear, rotating to take in the fullness of the court! The 17-year-old leads 7-6 4-2, and this is glorious to behold!
Medvedev makes 40-30 and is playing a bit better again, hitting flat from the back, but then he cracks into the net and Walton leads him 6-2 1-6 6-1. Back on Chatrier, Sabalenka again breaks Bouzas Maneiro first up in a set to lead 6-4 2-0, while Kouame has break point against Cilic, leading 7-6 3-2.
What on earth is going on with Daniil Medvedev? He lost the first set to Adam Walton 6-2, won the second 6-1, and now trails in the third 5-0. But what a shot he produces to secure his first game of the set, a backhand from the middle of the baseline that breaks the side. Walton must now serve for a 2-1 lead.
Now then. Leading 7-6 2-1, Kouame outlasts Cilic in a rally, a backhand swiped wide offering him break point … which he can’t convert, going long from the back., And from there, the wily veteran holds for 2-2 while, on Chatrier, Sabalenka breaks to secure a 6-4 first set, all the work Bouzas Maneiro did to get back into it for nowt.
Just when Medevedev looked to have taken over, Walton breaks him for 1-1 2-0; he is not going away … and, as I type, he consolidates for 3-0. Medvedev is ticking again … and Bouzas Maneiro is too, but in a good way, thwacking a shoulder-high back winner cross-court to raise break-back point at 3-5. And there it is, Sabalenka netting unnecessarily, to her intense disgust. We’re back on serve at 4-5.
Vekic has beaten Tubello 3 and 2; next for her, an increase in tariff: Siegemund or Osaka. And next on Court 6, a potential match of the day: Linda Noskova, who beat Gauff in Madrid and, at 21, is growing into her potential, against former world no 3, Maria Sakkari.
And now Bouzas Maneiro secures a love hold, perhaps too late to affect the first set, but more than enough to make a statement. Sabalenka responds well enough for 5-2, while Kouame is still at it on Mathieu, leading 7-6 1-0.
Oooh, but Bouzas Maneiro is into it now, retrieving a break, and she earned that – down 0-4 to an opponent as intimidating as Sabalenka, she might easily have retreated, but instead she kept attacking and seized the reward. She trails 1-4.
Sabalenka knows Bouzas Maneiro is no joke and she’s started like she means it, the pressure of power already telling; she leads 4-0. Elsewhere, Walton has the trainer on having lost the second set 6-1 to Medvedev; Iva Jovic, who I’m excited to see here, leads Eala 6-4 0-1; Griekspoor leads Arnaldo 7-6; Vekic leads Tubello 6-3 5-2; Popyrin and Svajda are level at 6-3 3-6 1-1; and Navarro leads Tjen 6-4 1-2 with a break.
Oh yes! Kouame loses both points on serve for 4-3 … then creams a backhand winner down the line for 5-3! And when Cilic, the pressure beginning to tell, thrashes a forehand wide with almost the whole court to hit, at 3-6, he faces three set points. A double does for the first, then Kouame does well to stay in the point … long enough for Cilic to err, a forehand into the net sealing the deal and doesn’t he enjoy it! He cups an ear as the crowd go wild, everything he’s ever dreamed off unfolding for him – and us – right now.
And Kouame snatches an immediate mini-break, then pounds an ace down the T by way of consolidation; 3-0. Oh, and when Cilic needlessly nets a backhand, at 4-1 the set is almost over. This is brilliant from the kid while, on Chatrier, Sabalenka breaks Bouzas Maneiro immediately for 2-0 and on Lenglen, Walton is having to struggle for everything, up 6-2 but down 1-4 and fighting at deuce.
Kouame holds for 6-6 in the first; he and Cilic will now play a first-set tiebreaker, and I’d not be at all surprised if the 17-year-old took it. I’m almost tempted to post one of my school reports from the same age just to make clear how ridiculous what he’s doing is.
On Chatrier, Sabalenka and Bouzas Maneiro are ready to start. Can the world no 1 win a major on a non-hard surface? I’m sure the answer is yes, but equally, I’m not sure it’ll be this one, this year.
Kouame is enjoying this and the crowd are enjoying him – he’s bouncing about the court trying stuff, whether drops or lasered groundstrokes, and her holds for 5-5 in the first. Meantime, Mevedev consolidates in short order, and he’s into this now.
We go backwards and forwards, deuce advantage, then Medvedev, nursing his sixth break point, chops a drop, and that’s far too good. He trails Walton 2-6 3-1 and might just’ve found the tactic to get him through this set.
Medvedev isn’t enjoying himself at all, just about securing a hold for 2-6 2-1, an ace perhaps getting him going. And he quickly makes 0-40 when Walton serves next, but terrific hitting from the Aussie, who expertly moves him about the court, brings us to deuce.
I’ve not seen Komae play before, but a 17-year-old home wildcard, making his grand slam debut, has my attention. He’s giving Cilic plenty, down 3-4 on serve, and I’m excited to see what he does from here.
Five games in a row for Walton, who takes the first set off Medvedev 6-2 in just half an hour. I wonder if the no 6 seed is following a kind of José Mourinho arc, where he over-indexes on the confrontational stuff that helped make him brilliant to the exclusion of the other stuff that was equally important, losing the run of himself in the process.
Elsewhere, Alexei Popyrin leads Zachary Svajda 6-3; Donna Vekic is up 5-2 on Alice Tubello; Tallon Griekspoor and Matteo Arnaldi are level at 3-3; with Marin Cilic and Moise Kouame also level, at 2-2. Or, put another way, or better matchups come later in the day.
Though Medvedev has improved through the clay-court swing – Jannik Sinner needed three to get by him in the Italian Open semis – he’s made a rough start here, trailing Walton 4-2. That’s my main match for now.
Preamble
Salut tout le monde et bienvenue à Roland-Garros 2026 – troisième jour!
And, of course, what a troisième jour this promises to be. Standing out among stand-outs, we’ve Linda Noskova, seeded 12, facing Maria Sakkari; Cameron Norrie meets Daniel Vallejo; and Naomi Osaka takes on Laura Siegemund.
But the match of the day might just come first up on Chatrier, where Aryna Sabalenka, yet to win this pot, meets the excellent Jessica Bouzas Maneiro; don’t be surprised if that matures into an epic (but also, don’t be surprised, as if anyone could, should the world no 1 blaze into round two).
Otherwise, defending champ Coco Gauff tussles her good mate and doubles specialist Taylor Townsend; Alexandre Muller goes at Stefanos Tsitsipas; and Daniil Medvedev, not long since double-bagelled by Mario Berrettini, begins his campaign against Adam Walton. Then if, to that, we add Jacob Fearnley v Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Ana Kalinskaya v Loïs Boisson and Felix Auger-Aliassime v Daniel Altmaier, along with Marin Cilic, Madison Keys, Jess Pegula, Sascha Bublik and Learner Tien, we have a frankly ridiculous day of stuff that isn’t whatever we’re meant to be doing.
Chauette! On y va!
