Paris, FRANCE—With Elena Rybakina (KAZ) premiering her new head-to-toe look, Stan Wawrinka (SUI) setting a record, and Frances Tiafoe (USA) bringing his star power to the clay, Team Yonex took center stage during the first round at Roland-Garros.
Yonex is the second most used racquet brand at Roland-Garros. 27% of athletes in the women’s singles and 15% of the athletes in the men’s singles are currently competing with Yonex racquets. Here are some of the highlights by Team Yonex from the opening round of the clay-court Grand Slam.
Rybakina shows how to make an entrance
Court Suzanne Lenglen – a stadium named after a legendary female tennis player, and one of the biggest stages in tennis – was an ideal setting for Elena Rybakina to make her first appearance as a head-to-toe ambassador of Yonex. Wearing the 2023 Paris Collection, the 2022 Wimbledon Champion and current World No. 4 defeated Czech qualifier Brenda Fruhvirtova, 6-4, 6-2. Building on her run in Rome, where she claimed her first WTA 1000 title on clay, this victory propels Rybakina into a seven-match winning streak.
Tiafoe's celebrity supporters
American NBA stars and musicians gathered at Court 7 to watch Frances Tiafoe (USA) in his Round 1 match at Roland-Garros. The American World No. 12 defeated Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. “It’s crazy. Bringing those guys on Court 7 is wild,” said Tiafoe.
New five-set record for Wawrinka
Eight years after he won the men's singles title at Roland-Garros, that inner fire was very much on display in his first-round match against Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas, thrilling his Parisian supporters.
Wawrinka's 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-7(2), 1-6, 6-4 win, a tough battle which took over four and a half hours, was his tenth five-set victory at Roland-Garros, a record for the Open Era. Wawrinka, a head-to-toe ambassador for Yonex, next plays Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS), a wild card who is also part of Team Yonex.
Noskova steps up
A 2021 girls' Singles champion at Roland-Garros, Linda Noskova (CZE) is already making her presence felt in the women's game, with the teenager reaching the second round for the first time. Noskova was leading 6-3, 2-1 when Montenegro's Danka Kovinic retired.
Garcia extends her first-round streak in Paris
As the first female player from France to be a Top-5 seed in Paris since 2007, Caroline Garcia (FRA) returns in head-to-toe Yonex wear at her home Grand Slam this season. However, even with the extra attention and expectations, she remained “calm and positive” throughout her first-round match at Roland-Garros. Garcia’s opening match against China’s Xiyu Wang lasted over two and a half hours at Court Phillipe-Chatrier, which resulted with her 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4 victory.
Hurkacz's repeat win
Head-to-toe Yonex ambassador, Hubert Hurkacz (POL), began his campaign in Paris with a five-set thriller. It was the second year in a row that he faced Belgium’s David Goffin early in the Roland-Garros draw. Hurkacz fired off 46 winners throughout the three-and-a-half-hour match, and secured a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 win over Goffin.
Elena Rybakina (KAZ) | VCORE 100 / POLYTOUR FIRE 125 / Paris Collection
Frances Tiafoe (USA) | VCORE PRO 97 / POLYTOUR PRO 125
Stan Wawrinka (SUI) | VCORE PRO 97 / ECLIPSION / Melbourne Collection
Linda Noskova (CZE) | EZONE 98 / POLYTOUR STRIKE 125 / ECLIPSION / Paris Collection
Caroline Garcia (FRA) | VCORE 100 / POLYTOUR STRIKE 125 / Paris Collection
Hubert Hurkacz (POL) | VCORE PRO 97 / ECLIPSION / Paris Collection
