Emma Raducanu, Iga Swiatek set to meet at Roland Garros 2025

Emma Raducanu battled through illness to secure a gritty 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win over China’s Wang Xinyu in the first round of the French Open on Monday, setting up a second-round clash with defending champion Iga Swiatek.

Raducanu, ranked 41st in the world, was visibly struggling early on and had to call for a doctor during the first set, which she won on her second attempt.

Despite her health concerns, the 22-year-old fought on to claim a hard-fought victory after 2 hours and 44 minutes.

"I don’t feel great, I was struggling from the start," Raducanu admitted to TNT Sports. "I was flat but I’m happy to find a way."

The match, which marked Raducanu’s return to Roland Garros after a two-year absence due to injury, was a testament to her resilience.

The former US Open champion looked fatigued and lacked her usual energy during the opening set but managed to take control at the crucial moments, serving out the first set after an initial hiccup.

Wang, ranked two places lower than Raducanu, fought back strongly to level the match at 1-1, aided by a disputed line-call.

However, after a brief break to regain composure and have her blood pressure checked on court, Raducanu returned for the decider and quickly broke Wang’s serve twice, building a commanding lead.

The match was a true test of Raducanu’s mental toughness, with the Briton responding well to the physical discomfort she was experiencing.

As the pair continued to trade breaks, Raducanu regained control and powered through to the win, visibly relieved as she dropped her racquet onto the clay court.

Before the tournament, Raducanu had spoken about the pressures of playing while not feeling 100% under past coaches.

“I had a problem from the start," she said. "But with the support of my team, I managed to stay strong."

Looking ahead, Raducanu will face world number one Iga Swiatek in the second round, who breezed past Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova 6-3, 6-3 earlier in the day. Their match will take place on Wednesday, 28 May.

In other action, British players Katie Boulter and Jodie Burrage will aim to join Raducanu in the second round when they take to the court later on Monday.