Three British Men and Three Women Reach Second Round in Record-Breaking Performance

In a remarkable day for British tennis, Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie led the charge as the country’s players made history at the French Open. The two most successful active male players moved into the second round, securing a record-breaking seven first-round wins for British players.

Draper, who has been on an incredible rise this year, finally broke through on clay, defeating Mattia Bellucci 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. The young player, who was seeking his first French Open victory, showed great composure and determination, overcoming early nerves to dominate the match. Draper, who entered Court Suzanne-Lenglen as a top-five player at a grand slam tournament for the first time, struggled with his serve from the start and was tentative behind his usually destructive forehand. However, he remained calm and was completely dominant by the end of the match.

“I think it’s great and it shows that we’re not afraid of playing well on the clay,” Draper said in a post-match interview. “All of them, I have great respect for, they all work really hard and they’re all great players. I’m not surprised, either, to be honest.” Draper will now face either Gaël Monfils or Hugo Dellien in the second round.

Norrie, who has been struggling with injuries and form in recent years, produced one of the best wins of his career, defeating former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5. The 29-year-old, who had lost all four of their previous meetings in straight sets, showed great discipline and consistency, pairing his typical durability with greater aggression on his forehand. Norrie’s victory marked his first win against Medvedev, who was seeded 11th at the tournament.

“I’m not looking to just make it to the second round, I want to get further than that,” Norrie said in a post-match interview. “This win is one of the top three of my career, and I’m really proud of myself for the way I played. I was able to stay calm and composed under pressure, and that’s what made the difference in the end.”

The victories marked a significant step in Norrie’s attempts to re-establish himself at the highest level of the ATP tour. After falling to No 91 in the rankings two weeks ago, his lowest since 2018, Norrie has been working hard to regain his form and confidence. In a recent interview, he revealed that he had taken a step back and detached himself from his intense expectations, simply enjoying tennis again.

“I think I was trying too hard and forcing things too much,” Norrie said. “I took some time, thought about everything in my career and my personal life and I think I was setting expectations too high. I talked to my team, a long meeting, just to try to enjoy the tennis a bit more and look for good moments.”

The victories for Draper and Norrie, as well as those of Katie Boulter, Emma Raducanu, and Jacob Fearnley, mark the first time in the open era that three British men and three women have won first-round matches at Roland Garros. This is also the most British players to reach the second round since 1973.

Sonay Kartal, meanwhile, continued her steady rise by beating Erika Andreeva 6-0, 6-2 to win on her main-draw debut. Kartal’s victory marked a significant milestone in her young career, and she will now look to build on this momentum in the second round.

The British players will now look to build on this momentum, with Draper and Norrie aiming to make a deep run in the tournament. As Norrie said, “I’m not just looking to make it to the second round, I want to get further than that. I want to make a deep run in this tournament and bring some pride back to British tennis.”

The victories for the British players have sent shockwaves through the tennis world, with many pundits and experts hailing it as a remarkable achievement. As one commentator noted, “This is a truly historic moment for British tennis. The players have worked so hard to get to this point, and it’s amazing to see them succeed on the biggest stage in tennis.”

The British players will now look to build on this momentum, with Draper and Norrie aiming to make a deep run in the tournament. As the tournament progresses, it will be fascinating to see how the British players fare against the world’s top talent. One thing is certain, however: British tennis is on the rise, and this is just the beginning.