Did Svitolina have a difficult match against Bondar?

Yes. Svitolina had to overcome recent difficulties in her head-to-head matchup with Bondar to secure her first-round victory at the French Open.

How many sets did Ruud's match go?

Casper Ruud's first-round match against Roman Safiullin went five sets, described as an unusually competitive and bizarre encounter.

Svitolina, Ruud survive tight matches on French Open Day 2

Darren Leung

ATP, WTA, rankings

Published May 25, 2026Last updated June 15, 2026

wta atp grand-slam

Elina Svitolina overcame Anna Bondar in a hard-fought first-round match at the French Open, while Casper Ruud survived a five-set thriller against Roman Safiullin on Day 2. Stan Wawrinka and Gaël Monfils both lost their opening matches, marking significant departures from the tournament.

Key facts

Elina Svitolina defeated Anna Bondar in the first round at Roland Garros, overcoming recent difficulties in their head-to-head matchup.
Casper Ruud advanced from a five-set first-round match against Roman Safiullin at the French Open.
Gaël Monfils lost his final Roland Garros match to Hugo Gaston 6-0 in the final set, ending his career at the tournament.
Stan Wawrinka was eliminated in the first round on Day 2 of the French Open.

The second day of the French Open saw several seeded players navigate difficult opening matches at Roland Garros, with Elina Svitolina and Casper Ruud both advancing despite testing opponents.

How did Svitolina overcome Bondar?

Svitolina defeated Anna Bondar in a hard-fought first-round encounter, according to The Tennis Podcast. The Ukrainian player had to overcome recent difficulties in the head-to-head matchup to secure her progression.

What happened in Ruud's match?

Casper Ruud advanced from an unusually competitive five-set affair against Roman Safiullin. The match was described as bizarre by The Tennis Podcast, suggesting the Norwegian player faced an unexpectedly difficult path through the opening round.

Which established players exited?

Stan Wawrinka and Gaël Monfils both lost their first-round matches on Day 2. Monfils ended his Roland Garros career with a 6-0 final-set loss to Hugo Gaston, marking a notable departure for the veteran French player. Wawrinka's exit also represented the end of another storied campaign at the clay-court Grand Slam.

The tournament continued under hot conditions that affected multiple competitors' performances throughout the day session.

Sources

The Tennis Podcast: French Open Day 2 - Svitolina, Ruud survive scares. Published May 26, 2026.
The Tennis Podcast: French Open Day 1 - Djokovic fights through, but how did he look?. Published May 25, 2026.

Reported from public sources.

Frequently asked questions

Did Svitolina have a difficult match against Bondar?: Yes. Svitolina had to overcome recent difficulties in her head-to-head matchup with Bondar to secure her first-round victory at the French Open.
How many sets did Ruud's match go?: Casper Ruud's first-round match against Roman Safiullin went five sets, described as an unusually competitive and bizarre encounter.