Elena Rybakina was made to work in the opening stages of her French Open 2026 match against Slovenia’s Veronika Erjavec, coming through a tough service game before the pair reached 1-1 in games on Philippe-Chatrier. The second seed looked under pressure early on the second day at Roland Garros, but she held firm and kept the match level.
Rybakina’s position as the second seed gives her progress early in the tournament added weight, especially with the women’s draw still settling into its opening rounds. Earlier on day two, Iga Swiatek defeated Australian wildcard Emerson Jones 6-1 6-2, while Stan Wawrinka was a set down to Jesper de Jong after losing the first set 6-3.
The men’s side also moved quickly through the day. Alex De Minaur beat British qualifier Toby Samuel 6-4 6-4 6-2, and later Arthur Rinderknech defeated Jurij Rodionov 7-6 6-2 6-3. That left Rybakina’s match as one of the notable early swings of the second day in Paris, with the main court already carrying the feel of a long opening stretch at Roland Garros.
For Rybakina, the immediate task is simple: settle the service games and turn an uneasy start into control. The bigger picture is harder for everyone else in the draw, because a second seed who is already being pushed on Philippe-Chatrier is a reminder that the first week at a major can change quickly. Elina Svitolina et Elena Rybakina se retrouvent en quart à Rome may be the kind of meeting fans circle later, but for now Rybakina’s focus is squarely on getting through the first hurdle in Paris.
