Key events
Paolini is on absolute flames here, standing as far in as she can, running around the backhand whenever possible, and clouting the granny out of her fore. I’d love to know why it took her so long to find this version of herself, but in the meantime she’s almost toying with Svitolina, holding easily for 3-0. I absolutely love her creativity on court – and you can see from her interviews that it’s an expression of who she is off it. In a way, she reminds me of Carlos Alcaraz.
Svitolina makes 30-0 but Paolini wins a terrific point at the net out-thinking as much as out-hitting her opponent, and at 30-40, a fine disguised drop-shot secures the break and a 2-0 lead.
On Lenglen, Paul – looking to shake yesterday’s marathon against Khachanov out of his legs – opts to serve, and even at this early stage, when Popyrin breaks him, the first set looks a reach.
Paolini holds comfortably for 1-0. She’s such a great addition to the top of the game – I wondered if her sudden improvement, pretty unusual really, might’ve been a streak, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. She’s now a fixture and a serious threat on any surface.
And off we go…
Out come our players – on both courts. I fancy Popyrin to upset Paul, who’s put a lot into his legs these last few days and isn’t a natural clay-courter.
“They’re both lovely human beings,” says Chrissie Evert, a lovely human being, of Paolini and Svitolina. Imagine being spoken of like that by someone like that.
They are both of course, also fantastic tennisers, and their match should be seriously intense. Paolini’s extra pop and speed makes her favourite, but Svitolina is a very live dog.
Preamble
Salut et bienvenue à Ronald-Garros 2025 – huitième jour!
In the early rounds of slams, the joy is in the sheer multitude, great matches and surprise bangers all over the shot – the only shame is we’re not gifted extra sets of eyes to keep up with it all.
But today, mes amis, is the day it all changes: round four, two courts, chauette alors.
We begin with Alexei Popyrin, on a surge, against Tommy Paul, winner of two five-setters in the last four days then, an hour into that, Jasmine Paolni bounces on to court to face Elina Svitolina, in a most-likeable derby that screams joy.
Following them, we’ve Elena Rybakina taking on three-time defending champ, Iga Swiatek – I know! – and Liudmila Samsonova against spin-queen and Olympic champion, Qinwen Zheng, before we round off our day with Aryna Sabalenka, who meets the improving Amanda Anisimova, and an elite-level charisma-off between Ben Shelton and Carlos Alcaraz.
On y va!
Play: 11am local, 10am BST.
