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WTA Backspin by Todd Spiker: RG.1- Inevitably, Marta

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WTA Backspin by Todd Spiker: RG.1- Inevitably, Marta

On a Day 1 played in record heat, the proverbial heat was on early in the day on Sunday as the jockeying to become the first player through to the 2nd Round became a far more competitive contest than many of the first-up matches on the schedule.

For her part, #15 seed Marta Kostyuk *should* have been the first player to clock in/out with a victory, but then she started to get a little too cute with things (or, you know, put on her “Kyrgios hat” as she once again tried to rub another opponent’s nose in a defeat, especially if the player has, has ever had, or has ever associated with anyone or anything with a connection to Russia). That was the case today when it was Oksana Selekhmeteva on the other side of the net.

The 23-year old Selekhmeteva walked onto the court for today’s 1st Round match no longer “flagless,” and with a Spanish flag and “ESP” next to her name for the first time after having finally achieved Spanish citizenship this past week at the end of a three-year process after living and training in Barcelona since she was 15.

Serving up 6-2/5-1, Kostyuk seemed fated to get the first MD “W” at this RG. At the same time, the closest to completion of the other matches taking place at the time saw #27 Marie Bouzkova leading Lucia Bronzetti 6-3/4-1 and Ajla Tomljanovic on top of Caty McNally at 6-3/3-1.

But then Kostyuk pulled out her underarm serve — a legitimate, though brazen, shot in a competitive match, but something that seems far more disrespectful late in a blowout — at 30/15 in game 7, the same one she used to “dunk” on Anna Blinkova (another Hordette, go figure) with an eyebrow-raising ace on MP last year in a match she was leading 6-2/5-1 in Miami. This time, though, her shot went into the net, and she ended up dropping serve.

The break opened the door for Bouzkova to slip in with the First Victory at this major, as the Czech raced to a 5-1 lead in her match as Kostyuk held (but couldn’t convert) a pair of MP on Selekhmeteva’s serve at 5-2. Selekhmetova held for 5-3 on Court Simonne-Mathieu, while Bouzkova held triple MP on Court 6. As Kostyuk began her second attempt to serve out the win, Bouzkova officially downed Bronzetti 6-3/6-1 to be the first woman to advance to the 2nd Round.

About a minute later, Kostyuk served out her 6-2/6-3 win, this time closing things out with a *real* ace to pick up her 13th straight victory this clay season. It was the *second* win of the RG 1st Round today, though some actually (understandably) reported it as the *first* win since, you know, it really *should* have been. As anticipated, no handshake was sought out, nor necessary for either side. No one needed “ESP” to know that.

Afterward, rather then backflipping on the court (as she did after the Madrid final in front of Mirra Andreeva, another, well, you know), Kostyuk took the microphone and announced her mindset for the day after having received photos this morning of a missile that had landed near her parents’ home in Ukraine, calling the match one of the most difficult of her career.

Kostyuk’s words give an insight into her emotions, and she deserves respect for that, as well as her effort and success in the face of a war that has now gone on for more than three years.

None of it excuses the questionable public tactics and (should be considered) insulting interpersonal behavior that has gone on in recent seasons regarding Kostyuk’s interactions with and comments about many of her fellow competitors, something which might have been conclusively dealt with long ago by a better-run sports organization (but the WTA long ago abdicated that possibility by abandoning any role in establishing an environment of civility on tour).

Of course, all of this by now is collectively as inevitable as Kostyuk’s talent, path toward even greater success (maybe even at this event), and (on the whole) her role as an asset to the WTA tour going forward.

Both positive and negative notions about such a lightning rod of a player like Kostyuk *can* coexist, but it’s a pity that they have to.

Sigh. Maybe, someday…

=DAY 1 NOTES=

…meanwhile, after seemingly being a contender to be the first to win a match today, Tomljanovic ended up *losing* hers, as McNally rallied from what had been a 6-3/3-0, double-break deficit to defeat the Aussie 3-6/7-6(5)/6-3 to notch her first RG main draw win in her Paris 1st Round debut.

The loss continues Tomljanovic’s 2026 downturn. She’s now 1-7 on the dirt this season, with previous losses to players who were ranked #115, #117, #359, #127, #427 and #231. Her only win this clay season? It came over #899 Marta Lombardini in Rome qualifying.

…last year’s RG girls’ singles champion, 18-year old Lilli Tagger, made her slam MD debut today (not via a wild card, or as a qualifier, but impressively by *automatic entry* as the current world #91). Against #32 seed Wang Xinyu, the Austrian dropped the opening set, but leveled the match to force a 3rd.

Wang went up 5-1. Tagger already has a history of turning around big deficits with furious finishes, and the teenager *did* break Wang in consecutive service games to close to within 5-4 (saving 3 MP in game 9), but she wasn’t able to push her opponent’s back any further against the wall. Wang got the match-ending break on her fifth MP opportunity, winning 6-3/3-6/6-4.

…elsewhere, Hailey Baptiste and Barbora Krejcikova had a thing going on.

#26-seeded Baptiste, a semifinalist in Madrid (where she notched two Top 10 wins, including an upset of #1 Aryna Sabalenka after saving six MP), nearly became the first seeded woman to exit this RG. But the resilience she showed often in Madrid (where she also bounced back after *failing* to convert six MP and losing a 30-point TB before downing Belinda Bencic in three sets) made another appearance, just in time.

Krejcikova, an RG champ in ’21, is always lurking, if she can just be in the physical condition to put on a run, well, she could win anywhere. The Czech came into Paris off a 125 final run (during which she was physically limited after three long three-setters) and with just 13 matches (8 wins) under her belt after having to stage another injury-related comeback in recent months. She won Wimbledon two years ago after having won just *7* pre-SW19 matches after returning from another injury bout, though, so as long as she’s standing in a draw she *remains* a threat to make it to the end.

But she can only extend herself *so many* times at this stage of her comeback, and last week’s run likely gave her a limited path to victory today. She nearly traveled down it, though.

Krejcikova saved a SP in the 1st at 6-5 in an opening TB, and claimed the breaker 9-7 on her own second SP. In the 2nd, she again denied Baptiste a pair of SP at 6-5, and on a hot day it was imperative that she get off the court in two sets if she was going to have a decent shot to advance. Forcing a TB, she took a 4-2 lead. But Baptiste slapped a forehand return winner to get back on serve at 4-3, giving one pause about what was about to happen (as tends to happen with the Czech contingent, who find themselves in get-off-the-court-now-or-else-your-body-will-make-you-pay situations quite a bit).

But Baptiste gave the mini-break edge back a point later, and it seemed as if Krejcikova might just escape after all. She held double MP at 6-4, but two (tired?) forehand errors (along w/ a Baptiste second serve that skipped off the net cord on MP and landed in the box) pulled her back from the finish. Baptiste’s backhand winner down the line gave her her third SP, and Krejickova’s dumped volley gave the Bannerette a fourth straight point and 8-6 win, knotting the match.

As anticipated, Krejcikova labored through the 3rd set, dropping serve to go down 1-0 and soon trailing 4-1. She managed to carve out two BP in game 6 to provide herself a faint hope, but it was only that. Baptiste held for 5-1, and won 6-7(7)/7-6(6)/6-2.

Oh, well… more time for Krejickova to prepare for the grass court season, right?

…Tereza Valentova let one get away today.

The 18-year old Czech, seemingly with “big-time potential” written all over her, had a fourth 1st Round win in her fourth career 1st Round match at a major within her grasp against Magda Linette. After rallying from 4-1 down to win a 7-5 1st set, Valentova twice held a break lead in the 2nd (at 2-1 and 4-2) only to see the veteran Pole take the set 6-4.

In the decider, it was Linette who led 4-2, even while playing through leg cramps in the intense heat that limited her mobility and even caused her to resort to underarm serves in the final set (out of necessity, not impudence).

Valentova had two BP chances in game 9, and two more in game 11, but Linette managed holds on both occasions to lead 6-5. In the concluding match tie-break, Linette led 5-2, only to see Valentova get things back on serve at 7-6. After the young Czech saved a pair of MP at 9-7, tying things up at 9-9, momentum seemed to be in her favor again. But it was Linette who closed out the win on her third MP of the break, winning 5-7/6-4/7-6(11-9).

…late in the afternoon, after Baptiste’s near-miss, the First Seed Out was finally determined. Considering her season so far, and continued injury issues, it wasn’t a big shock that it turned out to be #21 Clara Tauson. The Dane came into Paris at just 8-10 on the year, with four straight losses (two via retirement). But she still had the match on her racket.

Tauson led Daria Snigur 6-3/5-3, and served for the match at 5-4. But she couldn’t put the Ukrainian away, as Snigur broke to keep the match alive, winning the last four games of the 2nd set to knot the match and then putting Tauson away in the 3rd to win 3-6/7-5/6-2.

…though not scheduled for the Chatrier night session (Tennis Gods forbid), a women’s match did take place under the lights on Lenglen on Sunday, as #18 Sorana Cirstea weathered an early storm from the big-hitting AO26 junior title-winning Pastry Ksenia Efremova to win 6-3/6-1.

17-year old Efremova was born in April 2009. A month later, Cirstea reached her (so far) only QF at Roland Garros in her second of now seventeen appearances in the MD in Paris.

Ah, tennis.

…meanwhile, two players notched their maiden MD wins at a major on Sunday, as qualifier Marina Bassols Ribera (in her second MD at age 26) defeated Emiliana Arango, and 25-year old Brit Francesca Jones (7th MD) staged a comeback from 6-1/4-2 back to defeat Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Jones wasn’t the only Team GB tennis player to have a good day, either, as 22-year old Alicia Dudeney (ex-Florida Gator) extended her ITF winning streak to ten matches with a 6-1/3-6/6-2 win over Pastry Nahia Berecoechea in the final of the $35K challenger in Estepona, Spain to claim her circuit-leading fourth singles title of the season. Dudeney had another 13-match winning streak earlier this spring.

…and, in juniors, 15-year old Sun Xinran claimed the J500 title in Milan with a 6-2/7-5 win in the final over Mariia Makarova.

With another J500 (Orange Bowl) and two J300 titles (Traralgon and Plovdiv) in her column since December, the teenager is on a 25-1 run in junior competition. Her only loss came in the AO girls’ to Ekaterina Tupitsyna, who eventually reached the final in Melbourne and has since won three pro ITF titles this season.

…AND THEY’RE OFF… ON DAY 1:

…THE MOST UNINTENTIONALLY BALLETIC OF SPORTS… ON DAY 1:

…MEANHILE, THE STUPIDIST DISCUSSION OF THE DAY… ON DAY 1:

Personally, my favorite response…

…SYMBOLIC SHORTAGES… ON DAY 1:

Hmmm, I wonder what would be the symbolic act of recognizing that the women’s field has been shut out of appearing in *any* (not even a token “Women’s Night” situation, say on Night 1 or 2, maybe in an early-starting doubleheader) of the Roland Garros night sessions on Chatrier the last three tournaments, and as of Night 1 this year in 26 straight RG nights back to 2023? The last scheduled women’s night session encounter was Sabalenka/Stephens on Night 8 in ’23.

Overall, women’s matches have been allowed to take place just twice in 43 matches since fans were allowed to attend the sessions starting in 2022, and in just just four of 54 since the start of evening play on Chatrier in 2021.

…SOUTH AMERICA IS ON THE BOARD (France… still waiting)… ON DAY 1:

…LA DIVINE ANNIVERSARY TOURNAMENT… ON DAY 1:

In fact, Lenglen also won the mixed, completing an historic second consecutive sweep of all three titles in Paris in what turned out to be her final appearance in the event.

After having faced off with would-be rival Helen Wills in the “Match of the Century” earlier in 1926 in what turned out to be their only meeting in singles, a potential meeting at Wimbledon was scuttled when the U.S. woman withdrew due to appendicitis. Then Lenglen withdrew following her 3rd Round match in a hail of controversy in which she was accused of “insulting” Queen Mary when Lenglen arrived late for her match due to a scheduling miscommunication.

After she’d been originally set to play only a 4 p.m. doubles match that day, Lenglen’s singles match had been a late 2 p.m. addition to the day’s schedule to accomodate the Queen’s attendence, and Lenglen hadn’t been informed by the new tournament director, who viewed such personal updates as giving Lenglen “special treatment”. Learning of the new schedule the next morning, Lenglen requested a change because she had a doctor’s appointment earlier in the day and wouldn’t be able to make the new earlier match, expecting that as the defending champion (and with her popularity being the main reason for the tournament’s growth into “The Championships”) she’d be accomodated. The message was said to have been delivered, but the tournament director forever maintained that he never received it.

The Queen waited next to the court for Lenglen to arrive for the 2 p.m. start, and ultimately left the AELTC grounds. Lenglen didn’t arrive until 3:30 p.m., in time for what she thought was the start of her doubles match. After being assailed by tournament officials, Lenglen’s doubles match was rescheduled. Lenglen and her partner lost the match, and then the British press took over, skipping over the facts of the situation and casting Lenglen as a villain unworthy of her status as the most famous athlete in the sport, accusing her of purposely setting out to snub the Queen. The British tennis fans followed suit.

As the controversy grew, Lenglen ultimately withdrew from the tournament (citing shoulder pain, but more likely to due to the emotional upheaval after so many years of being “The Goddess”). A month later, she announced that she was turning professional and joining a traveling tour, ending the historic amateur career of the one-of-a kind future Hall of Famer.

Here’s Lenglen is what were different times, with her trophies in 1914 at age 15, the year she won her first big *women’s* event titles at the World Hard Court (Clay) Championships…



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*ROLAND GARROS #1 SEEDS*
2010 Serena Williams (QF)
2011 Caroline Wozniacki (3rd Rd.)
2012 Victoria Azarenka (4th Rd.)
2013 Serena Williams (W)
2014 Serena Williams (2nd Rd.)
2015 Serena Williams (W)
2016 Serena Williams (RU)
2017 Angelique Kerber (1st Rd.)
2018 Simona Halep (W)
2019 Naomi Osaka (3rd Rd.)
2020 Simona Halep (4th Rd.)
2021 Ash Barty (2nd Rd.)
2022 Iga Swiatek (W)
2023 Iga Swiatek (W)
2024 Iga Swiatek (W)
2025 Aryna Sabalenka (RU)
2026 Aryna Sabalenka

*RECENT RG “FIRST VICTORY” HONORS*
2016 A.Pavlyuchenkova/RUS (d. Sorribes Tormo/ESP)
2017 Petra Kvitova/CZE (d. Boserup/USA)
2018 Ekaterina Makarova/RUS (d. Sai.Zheng/CHN)
2019 Petra Martic/CRO (d. Jabeur/TUN)
2020 Kamilla Rakhimova/RUS (d. Rogers/USA)
2021 Ana Bogdan/ROU (d. Cocciaretto/ITA)
2022 Sorana Cirstea/ROU (d. Maria/GER)
2023 Magdalena Frech/POL (d. Zhang/CHN)
2024 Donna Vekic/CRO (d. Tsurenko/UKR)
2025 Elina Svitolina/UKR (d. Sonmez/TUR)
2026 Marie Bouzkova/CZE (d. Bronzetti/ITA)

*RECENT RG “FIRST SEED OUT”*
2016 #32 Alona Ostapenko/LAT (Osaka/JPN)
2017 #31 Roberta Vinci/ITA (Puig/PUR)
2018 #9 Venus Williams/USA (Q.Wang/CHN)
2019 #5 Angelique Kerber/GER (Potapova/RUS)
2020 #17 Anett Kontaveit/EST (Garcia/FRA)
2021 #26 Angelique Kerber/GER (Kalinina/UKR)
2022 #6 Ons Jabeur/TUN (Linette/POL)
2023 #29 Zhang Shuai/CHN (Frech/POL)
2024 #29 Veronika Kudermetova/RUS (Bouzkova/CZE)
2025 #28 Peyton Stearns/USA (Lys/GER)
2026 #21 Clara Tauson/DEN (Snigur/UKR)

*RG “Legion de Lenglen” HONOREES & INCIDENTS*

[2016]
Alize Lim, FRA
[2017]
Caroline Garcia, FRA
[2018]
Serena Williams, USA
[2019]
Court Simonne-Mathieu debut
[2020 U.S. Open Special]
Madison Brengle & her wine
[2020]
Court Chatrier roof (and night tennis) debuts
[2021]
Naomi Osaka press conference controversy
[2022]
Alize Cornet, FRA
[2022 U.S. Open Special]
Jessie Pegula & a Heineken
[2023]
Ukraine/RUS-BLR controversy
[2024]
Firsts (Court Lenglen roof debuts, and Varvara Gracheva’s first RG as FRA) and a Last (Alize Cornet’s RG farewell)
[2025]
100th anniversary of Lenglen’s first “grand slam” titles in Paris in 1925
[2026]
100th anniversary of Lenglen’s last “grand slam” titles (RG s/d/mx sweep) in 1926

*LONG WTA (MD+BJK only) WINNING STREAKS – 2020s*
37 – Iga Swiatek (2022)
21 – Iga Swiatek (2024)
18 – Iga Swiatek (2023-24)
17 – Simona Halep (2020)
16 – Coco Gauff (2023)
16 – Madison Keys (2025)
15 – Danielle Collins (2024)
15 – Aryna Sabalenka (2024)
15 – Aryna Sabalenka (2026)
13 – Liudmila Samsonova (2022)
13 – Bernarda Pera (2022)
13 – Aryna Sabalenka (2023)
13 – Elena Rybakina (2023)
13 – Mirra Andreeva (2025)
13 – MARTA KOSTYUK (2026, through 1st Rd.)


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TOP QUALIFIER: Claire Liu/USA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): x
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q1: Oceane Dodin/FRA (PR) def. Kayla Day/USA 6-4/2-6/7-6(15-13) – saved 2 MP in TB, wins on MP #5
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): x
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #27 Marie Bouzkova/CZE (def. Bronzetti/ITA)
FIRST SEED OUT: #21 Clara Tauson/DEN (1r – lost to Snigur/UKR)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Day 1 wins: Marina Bassols Ribera/ESP (2nd MD), Francesca Jones/GBR (7th MD)
UPSET QUEENS: x
REVELATION LADIES: x
NATION OF POOR SOULS: x
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: 1st Rd. wins: Marina Bassols Ribera/ESP, Wang Xiyu/CHN
LUCKY LOSER WINS: —
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: 1st Rd. wins: x
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: x
LAST PASTRY STANDING: Day 1: 0-3
Ms./Mademoiselle OPPORTUNITY: x
IT “??“: x
COMEBACK: x
CRASH & BURN: x
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF PARIS: Nominees: Baptiste (1r- saved 2 MP at 6-4 in 2nd set TB vs. Krejcikova; McNally (1r- trailed set and double-break 3-0 vs. Tomljanovic); F.Jones (1r- trailed Haddad Maia 6-1/4-2; gets maiden slam MD win); Snigur (1r- trailed Tauson set and 5-3, Tauson served 5-4)
DOUBLES STAR: x
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): x
Mademoiselle/Madame OF THE EVENING: —
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
Legion de Lenglen: 100th anniversary of Suzanne Lenglen’s last “grand slam” titles (RG WS/WD/MX sweep) in 1926 (she’d retire after controversial Wimbledon withdrawal and join professional tour that summer)
Coupe LA PETIT TAUREAU: (award given on Henin’s birthday, June 1)

All for Day 1. More tomorrow.

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