Paris, May 25 (IANS) Iga Swiatek kicked off her French Open 2026 campaign with a powerful performance on Monday, easily defeating Australian teenager Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-2 in exactly one hour to move into the second round at Roland Garros.
The third seed quickly demonstrated why she is a top player on clay courts, racing through the first eight points of the match and breaking Jones without dropping a point. Swiatek ended the match with a total of 17 winners, closing it out with a signature forehand on her second match point.
This match showcased the significant experience difference between the two players. Seventeen-year-old Jones, ranked No. 136 in the world, was playing her first professional clay-court match at any level. Before Roland Garros, the Australian had competed only on hard courts this season after reaching the semifinals of last year’s girls’ tournament in Paris.
In contrast, Swiatek entered the tournament as one of the best clay players of her generation, having already won 10 titles on the surface, including four French Open titles. This victory improved her career record on clay at the tour level to an impressive 107-18.
Even with the one-sided score, Jones showed glimpses of her talent. She hit just five winners throughout the match but took advantage of two shaky service games from Swiatek to break her in each set. Yet, whenever Jones posed a challenge, Swiatek quickly raised her game.
After losing an early break in the first set, the Pole regained control and went on a seven-game run to take a 3-0 lead in the second set. Four of those games were won without Jones scoring as Swiatek consistently overpowered her with speed, depth, and precision.
Jones briefly stopped Swiatek’s momentum by holding serve to cut the lead to 3-2 in the second set. However, she couldn’t get to another game point as Swiatek finished the match with another three-game run.
This result also reinforced Swiatek’s remarkable Grand Slam first-round record, which now stands at 28 wins and just one loss. Her only first-round defeat at a major came against Viktorija Golubic at Wimbledon in 2019.
Jones has now appeared in three Grand Slam main draws — all receiving wild cards — and has yet to win a set at that level. However, she has faced top competition each time, having previously lost to Elena Rybakina and Victoria Mboko at the Australian Open.
Swiatek’s next opponent will be Sara Bejlek, who advanced by defeating former US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-2.
–IANS
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