The French Open got underway at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris last Sunday, May 26. Top players like Carlos Alcaraz, Andrey Rublev and Hubert Hurkacz advanced into the second round by winning their respective matches.
However, the opening day of the French Open also had its fair share of upsets as five seeded players were ousted in the first round. Some of them entered the tournament at the back of recent impressive results or consistency over the past few months and their exit will come as a surprise to fans.
On that note, let us take a look at five shocking results from Day 1 of the French Open.
#5. Zizou Bergs beat Alejandro Tabilo 3-6 7-6 (5) 6-2 6-2
World No. 104 Zizou Bergs beat 24th seed Tabilo in four sets to advance into the second round of the French Open. Tabilo recently reached the semifinals of the Italian Open, beating Novak Djokovic in the process. He entered the match as the favorite to win but it did not turn out that way for him.
Bergs fired 15 aces in the match and broke Tabilo nine times in the match. The Chilean, meanwhile, was able to convert only six of the 15 break points he got in the match. Bergs will face Maximilian Marterer in the second round.
#4. Jesper De Jong beat Jack Draper 7-5 6-4 6-7 (3) 3-6 6-3
De Jong is ranked 176th in the world, but played a very good match to oustWorld No. 39 Jack Draper and reach the second round of the French Open. The Dutchman had a brilliant start to the matcch and won the first couple of sets before the Brit took the next two sets and forced a decider.
De Jong did well to take the final set and register a 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(3), 3-6, 6-3 win to register his very first main-draw victory at the French Open. The Dutchman next has a tedious task ahead as his second-round opponent is third seed Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard made easy work of JJ Wolf to win his tournament opener 6-1, 6-2, 6-1.
#3. Lorenzo Sonego beat Ugo Humbert 6-4 2-6 6-4 6-3
Lorenzo Sonego, ranked 49th in the world, beat 17th seed Ugo Humbert on the latter's home soil to get into the second round of the French Open.
The Italian took the lead in the lead in the match to win the first set 6-4. However, Humbert produced a dominant display in the second to win it 6-2 and level the fixture. Sonego, though, was not to be denied, and he won the next two sets to register a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win and reach the second round of the French Open.
The big-serving Italian won 72% of the points on his first serve in the match, while the Frenchman managed only 58%. Sonego was almost always in command in the match and looked the better player.
The World No. 49 will next play Zhizhen Zhang, who won his opening match 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 against Aleksandar Vukic.
#2. Corentin Moutet beat Nicolas Jarry 6-2 6-1 3-6 6-0
Nicolas Jarry produced some impressive performances since the 2023 season and entered the French Open after reaching his maiden Masters 1000 final at the Italian Open.
However, the Chilean had a disappointing tournament as he lost to Corentin Moutet in the very first round. The Frenchman was in command of the match, as he won the first two sets comfortably. Jarry showed some resistance by taking the third set but Moutet was not to be denied, and he bageled the Chilean in the fourth to register a 6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 win.
It was a disappointing performance from Jarry, who managed to win only 39% of the points on his second serve in the match, as Moutet had as many as 19 break-point opportunities in the match.
After ousting Jarry, Moutet will next face either Aslan Karatsev or Alexander Shevchenko in the second round of the French Open.
#1. Viktorija Golubic beat Barbora Krejcikova 7-6 (3) 6-4:
24th seed Barbora Krejcikova suffered her third successive first-round exit at the French Open, as she lost to Viktorija Golubic in straight sets.
It was a tight match but Golubic was slightly the better player. She broke Krejcikova five times in the match, but was broken four times herself. The Czech is yet to win a single match at the French Open since winning the Grand Slam in 2021.
Golubic, on the other hand, booked her place in the second round of the clay-court Major for the first time in eight years. She will next face either Anastasia Potapova or Kamilla Rakhimova.