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ROLAND GARROS — Here come the girls, sang the Sugababes in a hit that made it to No 3 in the UK.
The WTA’s leading teenager has not quite made it that far – she has a career-high of No 4 in the world – but Coco Gauff certainly is coming and there are plenty following behind her.
In actual fact, even at the age of 19, Gauff is significantly more experienced than many of her older colleagues and by reaching the final of the French Open last year, she has achieved much more than most of them ever will.
That includes Julia Grabher, whom she faces in the second round on Thursday at around 1.30pm on Court Suzanne Lenglen. The Austrian is playing at this stage of a grand slam for the first time in her career, and in what is only her second main draw.
The 26-year-old will at least know what to expect from Gauff, having faced her in Florida on national team duty back in April – although how much she learned from a 6-1 6-3 defeat is unclear.
There are three other teenagers trying to make into the third round at Roland Garros on Thursday as the tournament once again threatens to become a stage for an emerging new star, rather than the reinforcement of older ones: more teenagers have won the women’s title at Roland Garros than any other major.
Seven have triumphed here before the 20th birthday, only 15 teens have ever won a women’s grand slam title.
Ones to watch
(All times BST)
Mirra Andreeva is younger than all of them, even than Monica Seles, who was just 16 years and 189 days old. The Russian turned 16 in April and has never even played qualifying at a grand slam before, but won her way through prelims last week and will now face French wildcard Diane Parry for a place in the third round.
The pair are due on Court Simonne Mathieu around 11.30am, meaning Andreeva may have to delay her online school work until the afternoon.
“I’m doing honestly pretty good, let’s say!” Andreeva says.
“I will not lie, but chemistry is so bad. Chemistry for me, I don’t understand anything. But math and English, I hope, I guess, it’s not that bad. I’m not that bad.”
How to watch
- TV: Eurosport 1/2 (Sky 410/411, Virgin 521/522, BT 412/413)
- Live stream: Eurosport app/discovery+ (£6.99 a month)
Education is high on the agenda for Diana Shnaider too, who opens up Court 7 at 10am against No 14 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Shnaider, 19, is in her first year of study at North Carolina State University, whose women’s tennis team finished as runners-up in the national championship in 2023.
The Russian made her mark on the professional scene on grand slam debut earlier this year, winning three matches in quails and then beating Kristina Kucova in the main draw to reach the second round and catapult her into the top 100 in the world.
She did not look out of place against No 6 seed Maria Sakkari, taking the first set before losing in three to suggest she will fear nothing against Haddad Maia, having already beaten one top-20 player this year in the shape of Veronika Kudermetova.
Upset-watch
Thursday’s fourth teenager many believe will end up being the best player of the lot. Linda Noskova is just the latest of the factory line of Czech talent, and she won the junior French Open title just two years ago, but is already inside the top 100.
“I developed my game and that I’m just kind of improving as a tennis player,” Noskova said.
“Obviously coming from juniors, it was a big step to win some titles, some ITF titles and women’s.
“I’m improving as a player, on ranking as well, so I’m just glad I moved from juniors like that. It wasn’t easy.”
It won’t be easy in the second round either: she faces Wimbledon champion and No 4 seed Elena Rybakina on Suzanne Lenglen at 10am.
Noskova is a long shot, but a supremely talented player and one who will not be intimidated by Rybakina’s power.
Brits abroad
It’s doubles only at this point, with Cameron Norrie saying on Wednesday he is looking forward to a day off in Paris before his third-round match against Lorenzo Musetti on Friday.
Meanwhile, Jamie Murray will have an early alarm call (along with doubles partner Michael Venus) to take on former world No 1 pair Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah at 10am.
And the other British doubles player in action on Thursday will be Lloyd Glasspool and his Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara, up against Ilya Ivashka and Alexei Popyrin, second on Court 8 at about 11.15am.
Thursday’s schedule
(All courts start at 10am BST unless stated)
Court Philippe Chatrier (from 10.45am)
- Giulio Zeppieri vs Casper Ruud (4)
- Iga Swiatek (1) vs Claire Liu
- Oceane Dodin vs Ons Jabeur (7)
- (Not before 7.15pm) Alexander Zverev (22) vs Alex Molcan
Court Suzanne Lenglen
- Elena Rybakina (4) vs Linda Noskova
- Jannik Sinner (8) vs Daniel Altmaier
- Julia Grabher vs Coco Gauff (6)
- Arthur Rinderknech vs Taylor Fritz (9)
Court Simonne Mathieu
- Kayla Day vs Madison Keys (20)
- Diane Parry vs Mirra Andreeva
- Aslan Karatsev vs Frances Tiafoe (12)
Court 14
- Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs Alex De Minaur (18)
- Bernarda Pera vs Donna Vekic (22)
- Tommy Paul (16) vs Nicolas Jarry
- Bianca Andreescu vs Emma Navarro
Court 7
- Diana Shnaider vs Beatriz Haddad Maia (14)
- Emil Ruusuvuori vs Grigor Dimitrov (28)
- Marcos Giron vs Jiri Lehecka
- Lauren Davis vs Lesia Tsurenko
Court 6
- Borna Coric (15) vs Pedro Cachin
- Ekaterina Alexandrova (23) vs Anna-Lena Friedsam
- Jasmine Paolini vs Olga Danilovic
- Francisco Cerundolo (23) vs Yannick Hanfmann
Court 9
- Elisabetta Cocciaretto vs Simona Waltert
- Guido Pella vs Thiago Seyboth Wild
Court 12
- Sara Sorribes Tormo vs Petra Martic
- Rebecca Peterson vs Wang Xinyu
- Thiago Agustin Tirante vs Zhang Zhizhen
Court 13
- Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs Aliona Bolsova
- Yoshihito Nishioka (27) vs Max Purcell
- Genaro Alberto Olivieri vs Andrea Vavassori
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