Live | Roland-Garros 2025: Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, first Frenchman in the running, is back on track

When it's raining at Roland Garros and you don't have a precious ticket to one of the two indoor courts, you have to be patient. And use your imagination. Possible activities include wasting your thirteenth month's salary on a sandwich or any other food item. Otherwise, you could also go and say "hello" to the statue of Rafael Nadal, or visit the exhibition dedicated to the Spaniard this year at the Roland-Garros museum. But of course, you might not be the only one with this idea...

As we mentioned earlier this morning, rain could delay the match schedule. And that's already the case this afternoon, as almost all matches have been canceled. Only two matches are still being played. The first is on Suzanne Lenglen Court, where Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard battles Zizou Bergs. The second is being played on Center Court, where Qinwen Zheng (China), ranked 7th in the world, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) face off.

Mom, if you're watching this live...

Hello dear @Betty Dioth, we congratulate you on this first and for this play on words!

The Suzanne-Lenglen court, like the Philippe-Chatrier center court, has a roof so matches can be played despite bad weather. And so much the better for our live coverage.

The Tricolore won the second set 6 games to 3 and returned to this game.

And yes, there is actually a match. And the Frenchman has three set points. Go Giovanni!

We don't count our hours, actually. It's the result of intense work and all-nighters scrolling through social media. PS: My boss is watching.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard has woken up and now leads 5-2 in the second set. Why be pessimistic?

Exactly 60 minutes. A short training session after all for the world number 1.

Our short break lasted longer than expected, but we're back in great shape, we promise!

Here's a recap of the day's early results. In the women's draw, Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) easily won her first round against Zeynep Sonmez (Turkey), as did world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated Kamilla Rakhimova (Russia). On the other hand, number 28 seed Peyton Stearns (United States) lost to Eva Lys (Germany), ranked 59th in the world.

In the men's draw, top seeds Tommy Paul (world number 12) and Brandon Nakashima (world number 28) clawed back to a set each after trailing. The only Frenchman in the competition, Giovanni Mpetshi Pellicard, lost the first set to Zizou Bergs (Belgium), but the Lyon native didn't have his last word.

Stay tuned because the afternoon has some exciting matches in store for us, with the debut of Frances Tiafoe (United States), seeded number 15, Lorenzo Musetti (Italy), seeded number 7, and Jasmine Paolini (Italy), seeded number 4, in the women's competition. On the French side, Quentin Halys, Valentin Royer, Kyrian Jacquet, and Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah will be competing in their first round.

Before the night-session match on the Philippe-Chatrier court, a tribute will be paid to Rafael Nadal, master of the venue and fourteen-time winner of Roland-Garros in nineteen appearances.

Still present. Like Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard who leads 3-2 in this second set.

Having started the match badly, the Frenchman managed the end of the first set better and even had two break points to get back to level before cracking and conceding the set (6-4).

And now has a break point.

Incredible! Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard saves three set points. 40-40.

40-0 for the Belgian who serves to win the set.

The Frenchman wins his serve and returns to 5 games to 4. But the Belgian will serve to win the first set.

World number 1 Aryna Sabalenka easily defeated Russian Kamilla Rakhimova in two sets (6-1 / 6-0) and reached the second round.