The 2026 French Open is set to begin on Sunday. Nearly a third of the women’s matches are scheduled for the opening day in Paris.
McNally vs Tomljanovic Preview
Ajla Tomljanovic is set to square off against Caty McNally of the United States. Nurein Ahmed, Ilemona Onekutu, and Tope Oke have offered their insights on the competition.
Kostyuk’s Clay Court Dominance
Marta Kostyuk is heading to Roland Garros on an 11-match winning streak on red clay. She has secured back-to-back titles in Rouen and Madrid. The Madrid title represents the biggest of her career.
Kostyuk is an all-court player who can close at net. She has particularly fortified her forehand, a stroke that was once a target for opponents but has become a genuine weapon this season.
She is set to face Oksana Selekhmeteva. Selekhmeteva is a capable player but faces a Kostyuk who is simply playing the best clay-court tennis of her life right now. There is very little in this matchup that suggests a departure from the Ukrainian’s dominant run.
Marta Kostyuk arrives at Roland-Garros in full flight, with Madrid glory in her pocket, Rouen before that, and a 12-match clay winning streak that makes her feel almost invincible right now and that’s bad timing for Oksana Selekhmeteva. The Russian has yet to find a win at the French Open, and while she’s still developing, this stage has so far brought more frustration than breakthrough. Against a player as confident and heavy-hitting as Kostyuk, that lack of clay confidence in Paris could be exposed quickly. Unless Kostyuk dramatically misfires, this looks like a match she controls from start to finish.
- Prediction from Nurein: Kostyuk in 2
- Prediction from Ilemona: Kostyuk in 2
- Prediction from Tope: Kostyuk in 2
Burel to Face Volynets
Clara Burel is also in action. She will face Katie Volynets.
It’s nice to see Burel return to full fitness, but with just three matches under her belt coming to the French Open, I don’t expect her to hit the ground running. Volynets has competed well on clay this season and brings excellent movement and consistency.
These are two players who compete in a similar zone — solid baseliners who can make things uncomfortable without consistently dominating. Burel holds the home advantage of playing in Paris, and a French crowd can be a powerful extra presence in close matches. Volynets has shown improved consistency through the year but has not made a significant mark on clay specifically. Burel’s familiarity with these courts and the lift that comes from playing in front of home support should give her the edge in what could be a tight contest.
Katie Volynets arrives in Paris as the favourite on paper, but nothing comes easy when you’re standing across the net from a French player at Roland-Garros. Clara Burel is still finding her form after an ACL setback, yet her pedigree and the surge of home support could make her far more dangerous than
- Prediction from Nurein: Volynets in 2
- Prediction from Ilemona: Burel in 3
The 2026 French Open promises exciting matches as the tournament gets underway.