French Open: Swiatek storms into past Jones into second round

Iga Swiatek began her bid for a fifth French Open crown with a dominant straight-sets win over Emerson Jones.

After building up steam on clay by reaching the Italian Open semi-final, Swiatek made a strong start at Roland-Garros with a 6-1 6-2 win over the Australian teenager in 61 minutes.

The Pole got an early break, only for Jones to stun her immediately after by pulling a game back, but Swiatek remained in total control.

She reeled off the next four games of the first set, a run which included a second break to love in the opener, before racing into a 3-0 lead in the second.

Jones held her ground, getting another break to end Swiatek's run before holding serve for the first time in the match to get back to 3-2.

But Swiatek left no more openings as she gave up just three points across the final three games to win and set up a meeting with Sara Bejlek in the second round.

Elsewhere, Jasmine Paolini – a 2024 finalist at Roland-Garros – also booked her place in the next round after battling past Dayana Yastremska.

Paolini took one hour and 41 minutes to record her 7-5 6-3 victory over Yastremska, but had to fight to get it.

The Italian looked to be in trouble when she went 5-3 behind in the first set, but a four-game winning streak saw her take the lead before she got the only break of the second to set her on her way to the win.

Swiatek stays perfect

Swiatek is the first player in the Open Era to reach the second round at all of the first 25 women's singles grand slam events of a decade and the fourth, including men's singles draws (25/25 in the 2020s).

She also now holds the 10th highest winning percentage in women's singles grand slam events in the Open Era, surpassing Evonne Goolagong (min. two main draws appearances).