The French Open briefing from The Athletic covers the unfolding stories from the tournament each day. Day 7 saw significant shifts in the women’s draw, numerous intense matches, and a rising star in Moïse Kouame.

Women’s Draw Developments

The women’s draw has opened up significantly. Coco Gauff, the defending champion, was defeated by Anastasia Potapova. No. 6 seed Amanda Anisimova was ousted by Diane Parry of France. Madison Keys, 2025 Australian Open winner, eliminated Victoria Mboko. Iga Świątek remains the only player with a previous French Open title, with the initial seven top-10 seeds reduced to four.

The draw’s composition affects its openness. In Aryna Sabalenka’s half, only she and Naomi Osaka remain among top-20 seeds. Osaka beat No. 17 seed Iva Jović in a tight three-set match. Sabalenka defeated Daria Kasatkina with a straight set win.

In the bottom half, Iga Świątek faces Marta Kostyuk while Elina Svitolina and Belinda Bencic battle. Additionally, Mirra Andreeva is up against unseeded Jil Teichmann. The men’s draw concerns about finals contenders are absent here, but quality matchplay is abundant.

Endurance Matches Unfold

João Fonseca has drawn attention with a five-set triumph reminiscent of Roger Federer’s upset of Pete Sampras. Juan Manuel Cerúndolo from Argentina followed his victory over Jannik Sinner with a five-hour, 58-minute win against Martin Landaluce, marking it as one of the longest matches since 1996 at Roland Garros.

Cerúndolo’s next opponent, Matteo Berrettini, also endured a grueling match, lasting over five hours against Francisco Comesaña. Berrettini won in a decisive tiebreaker. Meanwhile, Matteo Arnaldi and Frances Tiafoe both completed their own lengthy matches successfully.

Moïse Kouame’s Resilience

At 17, Moïse Kouame impressed in his Grand Slam debut. Despite losing to Alejandro Tabilo, Kouame displayed formidable resilience, rallying from 2-4 to lead 5-4 in the fourth set. The crowd cheered, and Kouame’s determination was evident until the end.

Kouame’s world ranking will improve significantly, climbing over 100 places. Sporting a PSG shirt, Kouame reflected positively on his experience and his football team’s victory in the Champions League.

Other Notable Results

• Flavio Cobolli secured a victory against Learner Tien.
• Anna Kalinskaya overcame heat issues to defeat Camila Osorio.
• Félix Auger-Aliassime won against Brandon Nakashima.
• Diana Shnaider defeated Oleksandra Oliynykova.

Upcoming Matches

• Marta Kostyuk vs. Iga Świątek: Kostyuk thrives on clay, yet Świątek has owned these courts, contingent on weather conditions.
• Rafael Jódar vs. Pablo Carreño Busta: Jódar faces a pivotal challenge against a seasoned opponent.
• Elina Svitolina vs. Belinda Bencic: Slower conditions favor Svitolina; both players have opportunities here.
• Casper Ruud vs. João Fonseca: Ruud’s experience meets Fonseca’s momentum in an engaging contest.

The insights from Day 7 demonstrate how both chaos and opportunity define the French Open as it progresses.