Roland-Garros 2025: Relive the first day marked by the tribute to Rafael Nadal

The French Open began on Sunday with five French players and the world number one taking to the courts.

Roland-Garros is underway. The French Open opened on Sunday, May 25, for a new edition. Who will succeed Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek? The answer will be given on June 8. In the meantime, 27 French players (18 men and nine women) will be competing in the main draw , including two who will be participating for the last time, Richard Gasquet and Caroline Garcia . Sunday's first day was notably marked by a tribute to Rafael Nadal.

• An emotional tribute to Rafael Nadal

This will remain as the image of this first day. Just retired, Rafael Nadal received a vibrant tribute on the Philippe-Chatrier court . T-shirts with his image, footprints on the court, speeches moved to tears, and especially from his three greatest rivals and friends present: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray . The king of Roland-Garros had a word for everyone, from the public to his family and those in the shadows, and retires definitively after a successful tribute.

• A mixed day for the French

The first French player to enter, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (seeded number 31), notched his first career victory at Porte d'Auteuil against Belgian Zizou Bergs (4-6, 6-3, 7-6 [7-5], 6-4). Valentin Royer, eliminated in five sets by the Colombian lucky loser Daniel Galan, and Kyrian Jacquet, beaten in five sets by Nuno Borges, were unable to emulate this feat. Quentin Halys, who was leading against Tomas Machac (number 21), will be in the second round after the Czech's withdrawal. In the women's draw, Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah, the only Frenchwoman in the competition, lost in two sets to Spain's Leyre Romero Gormaz.

• Aryna Sabalenka expeditious

A winner this year in Brisbane, Miami, and Madrid, Aryna Sabalenka emerges as the player to beat in this edition. The Belarusian, world No. 1 and quarter-finalist last year, didn't hang around on center court. She swept aside Russian Kamilla Rakhimova, ranked 78th in the world, 6-1, 6-0, in exactly one hour.