Swiatek Dominates Raducanu as Injured Ruud Crashes Out of French Open
Iga Swiatek continued her dominant run at the 2025 French Open, cruising to a commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory over Emma Raducanu on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Meanwhile, Casper Ruud’s campaign was cut short by a painful knee injury, as he bowed out early to Nuno Borges.
Swiatek Crushes Raducanu at Roland-Garros
PARIS (WE) — Iga Swiatek continues to dominate at Roland-Garros. On Wednesday, the world No. 5 defeated Emma Raducanu 6-1, 6-2 in just 79 minutes. The second-round clash on Court Philippe-Chatrier added to her perfect 5-0 record against Raducanu.
Swiatek praised the venue. “This place inspires me,” she said. “It makes me work harder.” She described the weather as tricky, but it didn’t seem to slow her down.
The Polish star overwhelmed Raducanu with a 32-8 advantage in winners. She saved all four break points and won all eight service games. Swiatek also beat Raducanu 6-1, 6-0 at the 2025 Australian Open. Across ten sets played between them, Raducanu has yet to win one.
Swiatek, now 23, already owns five Grand Slam titles, including one from the US Open. Her dominance at Roland-Garros is especially noteworthy. This victory marked her 23rd consecutive win at the clay-court major.
Last year, Swiatek won her third straight title in Paris. A fourth consecutive trophy would make her the only woman to do so in the Open era. Monica Seles and Justine Henin each won three in a row, but neither reached four.
Despite a doping suspension that sidelined her for a month last year, Swiatek returned with confidence. However, recent months have brought challenges. She failed to reach a final in any tournament since last year’s French Open win. That dry spell includes early losses in Stuttgart and Rome.
Her form appeared to dip during the 2024 Paris Olympics, also held at Roland-Garros. There, she lost in the semifinals and settled for bronze. More troubling were the lopsided sets she gave up—6-0 and 6-1—unusual for someone used to being on the winning end of those scores.
Because of these stumbles, Swiatek entered Paris ranked No. 5, her first time outside the top two in nearly three years. Yet in this match, her command was never in doubt.
Raducanu, the 2021 US Open winner, has yet to find consistency on clay. Against Swiatek, she struggled to handle the pace and angles. She managed just eight winners and never broke serve.
The British star is still recovering from multiple surgeries in 2023 and hasn’t regained top form. While she flashes brilliance, her serve and defense couldn’t hold against Swiatek’s relentless pressure. As the match wore on, Raducanu’s frustration became apparent.
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Knee Injury Ends Ruud’s French Open Hopes
Elsewhere on Wednesday, Casper Ruud exited early. The No. 7 seed lost to Nuno Borges 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-0. Ruud has been battling a painful left knee for weeks. After the loss, he revealed he’s been playing through pain since April.
Ruud reached the French Open final in both 2022 and 2023. He also made the semifinals last year. This marks his earliest exit from Paris since 2018, when he lost in the second round.
He said the knee pain began during Monte Carlo and worsened through the clay season. Despite winning the Madrid Open and skipping Geneva, the injury didn’t heal.
“I took five days completely off at home. It wasn’t enough to make the pain go away,” Ruud explained. “I wish I could stay here longer.” He said he plans to undergo more tests.
During the match, Ruud received treatment and took anti-inflammatory pills. But nothing worked. After winning the first set, his movement became visibly limited. Borges, ranked No. 41, took full advantage.
The 27-year-old from Portugal made history. He became the first Portuguese man to reach the French Open third round. “I just tried to focus on my game,” Borges said. “I knew he wasn’t 100%, but I still had to execute.”
While Ruud exits, Swiatek marches forward. She remains the tournament favorite, especially with rivals struggling.
Carlos Alcaraz also advanced, despite a brief scare. He dropped the second set to Fabian Marozsan but won 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. The defending champion found his rhythm quickly after the second set lapse.
In other women’s matches, Jasmine Paolini won, as did Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen. Canadian teen Victoria Mboko also impressed with a big win. The 18-year-old qualifier is making a splash in her Grand Slam debut.
Meanwhile, Olympic silver medalist Donna Vekic fell to unseeded American Bernarda Pera. The scoreline was 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (10-3). Pera held her nerve in the deciding tiebreaker.
On the men’s side, No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti advanced. So did No. 25 Alexei Popyrin, continuing a good showing for the lower seeds.
Looking ahead to Thursday, several stars will take the court. Novak Djokovic, a 24-time major champion, faces Corentin Moutet on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. French fans are expected to create a loud atmosphere.
Another French veteran, Richard Gasquet, could play his final match. He faces world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. It’s a tough draw for a potential farewell, but the crowd will be behind him.
At night, British star Jack Draper, seeded No. 5, faces Gael Monfils. Monfils, a fan favorite, will aim for one more magical night in Paris.
Among the top women playing are No. 2 Coco Gauff, who faces Tereza Valentova, and No. 3 Jessica Pegula, who meets fellow American Ann Li.
Rising star Mirra Andreeva, seeded No. 6, plays Ashlyn Krueger of the United States. It promises to be a showcase of young talent.
As the second round wraps up, Swiatek remains the one to beat. Her mix of control, power, and confidence makes her a near-unstoppable force on clay. Her quest for a fourth consecutive French Open title is off to a powerful start.
