With temperatures soaring across Paris and expectations rising around the women’s draw, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka made an assured start to her French Open 2026 campaign by brushing aside Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in straight sets on Tuesday. The Belarusian star produced a composed display on Court Philippe-Chatrier to register a 6-4, 6-2 victory and book her place in the second round at Roland Garros.
Sabalenka arrived in Paris carrying both momentum and pressure. Although she has established herself as the dominant force in women’s tennis over the last two seasons, the French Open remains the only Grand Slam title missing from her collection. The four-time major winner reached the final in Paris last year before losing to Coco Gauff and has since spoken openly about her determination to conquer clay at Roland Garros.
The top seed looked in complete control during the early stages of the contest, racing to a commanding 4-0 lead with her trademark aggressive baseline play. Her powerful groundstrokes and improved movement on clay immediately put Bouzas Maneiro under pressure, while the Spaniard struggled to handle the pace coming from Sabalenka’s forehand side.
However, the match briefly became more competitive as unforced errors crept into Sabalenka’s game. Bouzas Maneiro fought back strongly and recovered two breaks, threatening to level the opening set at 5-5. But at a crucial stage, the Spaniard double-faulted, handing Sabalenka the first set and allowing the Belarusian to regain her momentum.
The second set followed a similar pattern of dominance from the world No. 1. Sabalenka quickly surged into a 5-0 lead, overpowering her opponent with deep returns and relentless hitting from the baseline. Bouzas Maneiro managed to avoid a complete collapse by winning two late games and breaking Sabalenka while the Belarusian attempted to serve out the match. But any hopes of a comeback were short-lived as Sabalenka immediately responded with another break to wrap up victory in just over 75 minutes.
The match was played under sweltering conditions in Paris, where temperatures climbed above 30 degrees Celsius during the afternoon session. Players and fans alike struggled with the intense heat across Roland Garros on day three of the tournament. Sabalenka was seen cooling herself with an ice bag during changeovers before thanking spectators for enduring the difficult conditions.
“Happy to be back, thank you for the support. It’s a hot day, thank you so much for staying and don’t forget guys, stay hydrated,” Sabalenka told the spectators on centre court as a heatwave continues to roll over Paris for the start of the tournament.
“I think we all feel pressure… But I’m used to it so I know how to ignore (it),” the Belarusian top seed added as she began her latest attempt at winning a first title at the French Open.
The victory marked an important response from Sabalenka after a mixed clay-court season leading into Roland Garros. Earlier this month, she suffered surprising defeats at both the Madrid Open and Italian Open, raising concerns over her form on the surface. Reports before the tournament also suggested she had been managing lower back and hip discomfort during the European clay swing.
Despite those concerns, Sabalenka looked physically sharp and mentally focused in her opening-round performance. Her improved variety was also noticeable, with the Belarusian confidently approaching the net on several occasions. According to Reuters, Sabalenka later expressed satisfaction with how her all-court game continues to develop, especially on clay where patience and tactical flexibility are often crucial.
Off the court, Sabalenka also drew attention for her unique fashion choices, wearing sparkling diamond necklaces during the match despite the extreme heat. The world No. 1 later joked about her accessories, saying she enjoys feeling stylish while competing on the biggest stages.
Sabalenka now advances into the second round with confidence as she continues her pursuit of a maiden Roland Garros crown. With defending champion Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, and several other contenders also progressing safely, the women’s draw is already shaping up to be one of the most competitive storylines of the 2026 French Open.
