RG Live: Wednesday May 27

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Mensik survives longest match so far

While the Starodubtseva story was unfolding, we've just witnessed an incredible few moments on Court 6 during another deciding tiebreak, this time between No.26 seeded Czech Jakub Mensik and Mariano Navone from Argentina. Mensik began cramping during the shootout but still somehow managed to get over the line on his seventh match point 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6[13-11] before collapsing into the dirt in pain. Navone then had to cross to the Czech's side of the court to shake hands while the 20-year-old was still on the ground. Their battle is the longest match at Roland-Garros 2026 so far, a 4hr 41min marathon played in temperatures touching 33c heat.

'I'm very proud'

Yuliia Starodubtseva reacts to the biggest win of her career against world No.2 Elena Rybakina moments ago.

“Honestly, it’s hard to describe. I’m super happy. Elena is one of the top players, has had an incredible year,” said the 26-year-old.

“I expected her to come back. You can’t be thinking it’s ever going to be easy, even at 3-0 up (in the decider), I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be easy. That was so!

“It was a very hard third set, a very tough match, but I got it done! I’m very proud I could do this today.”

Starodubtseva shocks Rybakina

Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva has produced the biggest shock of the tournament so far as she beats world No.2 and this year's Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina in a deciding tiebreak on Lenglen.

It was looking like the world No.55 might've have missed her chance when her 3-0 lead in the third set disappeared, but the Ukrainian held her nerve during the shootout for a 3-6, 6-1 7-6[10-4] victory and a first top 10 win.

She plays No.26 seed Hailey Baptiste or China's Wang Xiyu in the third round.

Rafa in a rush

Those on court will be playing through the hottest period of the day right now - it's around 33c at the moment - so young Spaniard Rafa Jodar has the right idea wrapping up his opening set against James Duckworth 6-1 in 28 minutes. The 19-year-old is making his debut at RG and so far has dropped only six games across four sets. He beat Aleks Kovacevic 6-1, 6-0, 6-4 in the first round.

Rublev through, Ostapenko out

No.11 seed Andrey Rublev survives a physical 3hr-plus contest with Argentina's Camilo Ugo Carabelli in four sets, converting his second match point for a 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) win when the South American's forehand is judged to have dropped wide when the ball mark was checked by the chair umpire.

We've lost the 29th seed in the women's draw after Jelena Ostapenko goes down 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 to Magda Linette. It sets up the first all-Polish main draw meeting in the Open era here in Paris between Linette and Iga Swiatek, who might be breathing a sigh of relief at the result as she has a 0-6 head-to-head record against Ostapenko.

Tennis + Museum = Tenniseum!

It's a fantastic place to visit if you're on the grounds here at Roland-Garros.

Throughout the tournament - and beyond, the Tenniseum is hosting a new exhibition entitled “Serving for equality”, which traces the sporting, social and cultural history of women's tennis from the 19th century to the present day. From early champions to great icons, it pays tribute to pioneers such as Suzanne Lenglen and Althea Gibson, who paved the way and transformed the sport.

The exhibition also recounts the creation of a women's tennis tour and struggles for equality, particularly around prize money. A focus on wheelchair tennis also underlines the sport's drive for inclusion. The exhibition also highlights modern-day challenges for women in tennis such as media coverage, motherhood, gender-based and sexual violence and racism.

Featuring previously unseen objects and archives, the exhibition will run until the end of March 2027.

➡️ Read - Serving for Equality: A history of Women’s Tennis

De Jong marches on

Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong is into the third round in Paris - his best Grand Slam result. The world No.106 lost comfortably to American Michael Zheng in the last round of the qualifying, but has made the most of his second chance when he got into the main draw after Arthur Fils pulled out injured. The 25-year-old beat Stan Wawrinka in the first round and today outclassed young Italian Federico Cina 6-3, 6-1, 6-3. He'll play Khachanov or Trungelliti in the round of 32.

➡️ Live scores

➡️ Wednesday results

Tribune Concorde is back!

After the success of last year, the free fan zone returns to Place de la Concorde in the centre of Paris for five days from Wednesday 3 to Sunday 7 June. This year it’s bigger and better with a capacity of 3,800 fans - that’s 1,000 more than last year, and access from 12pm each day - two hours earlier than last year.

Spectators will be able to soak up the atmosphere with space for relaxation and entertainment, featuring an all-day DJ and MC, food trucks, terraces next to the screens, a bar, a Roland-Garros store, and activities including urban tennis and a competition to win tournament tickets.

And just as last year, the champions from the singles, doubles, wheelchair and junior events will all pay a visit to the fan zone to show off their trophies.

Stat-tastic

You know you love them.

Before we get too deep into the second round, here are some stats from the first:

Women’s Singles

Longest match: Magda Linette d Tereza Valentova (2h58m)

Fastest match: Iga Swiatek d Emerson Jones (1h0m)

Most winners (match): Magda Linette d Tereza Valentova (88 combined)

Most winners (player): Daria Snigur (50)

Most aces (match): Baptiste d Krejcikova (14 combined)

Most aces (player): Hailey Baptiste (10)

Most break points converted: Oleksandra Oliynykova, Yulia Putintseva, Caty McNally, Beatriz Haddad Maia (8 each)

Most break points saved: Hanyu Guo, McCartney Kessler (10 each)

Men’s Singles

Longest match: Martin Landaluce d Juan Carlos Prado Angelo (4h30m)

Fastest match: Stefanos Tsitsipas d Alexandre Muller (50m)

Fastest completed match: Rafael Jodar d Alexandr Kovacevic (1h34m)

Most winners (match): Matteo Arnaldi d Tallon Griekspoor (123 combined)

Most winners (player): Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (77)

Most aces (match): Struff d Bublik, Kokkinakis d Atmane (38 combined)

Most aces (player): Alexander Bublik (25)

Most break points converted: Martin Landaluce (10)

Most break points saved: Sebastian Baez (20)

Bonjour from a sunny Day 4 at Roland-Garros

It’s time to crack on with the second round of the singles main draw. No.3 seed and four-time RG champion Iga Swiatek gets things going on Chatrier at 12:00 when she takes on Czech Sara Bejlek. Also featuring on Chatrier on Wednesday are Elena Svitolina, Novak Djokovic, and headlining the night session, Alexander Zverev.

➡️ Here’s the order of play for Wednesday

But before that, there’s plenty going on from 11:00 around the rest of the courts. Seeds in action include women’s No.2 seed Elena Rybakina, who meets Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva on Court Suzenne-Lenglen, and men’s No.11 seed Andrey Rublev, who faces Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli over on Court Simonne-Mathieu.

➡️ RG writer Alix Ramsay has once again selected her top picks for the day

➡️ All Wednesday's live scores

And don’t say we never give you anything… here’s an extra treat for you.

Alex Sharp cast his eye over the draw and selected ten sizzling second-round matches that you’re going to want to keep an eye on over the next couple of days.

➡️ Top-10 must watch second-round meetings

Click here to read article

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