Carlos Alcaraz to Face Giulio Zeppieri in Roland Garros Opener

PARIS, France – Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning champion of Roland Garros, will debut in the 2025 tournament on Monday, May 26, against Giulio Zeppieri. Originally slated to face Japan’s Kei Nishikori, Alcaraz’s opponent changed due to Nishikori’s withdrawal from the competition due to injury.

Zeppieri, who is currently ranked 306th in the ATP standings, secured his spot in the main draw by successfully navigating through the qualifying rounds. The match will take place at approximately 1:00 PM local time in the Suzanne Lenglen court, the second-largest venue in the tournament.

The decision to schedule Alcaraz’s match during the day might actually work in his favor, as he prefers competing under daylight conditions. Earlier in the day, the lineup will also feature a match between Spain’s Jessica Bouzas and America’s Emma Navarro.

Alcaraz arrives in Paris with high expectations, having recently won the ATP Masters 1000 title in Rome and holding an impressive record of 15 wins against just one loss on clay this season. In the previous year, Alcaraz won Roland Garros for the first time, and his aim this year is to defend his title.

In their only previous encounter at the 2022 Umag Open, Alcaraz defeated Zeppieri in a tightly contested semifinal match, which ended with scores of 7-5, 4-6, and 6-3. Both players are looking to make an impact in this prestigious tournament.

Fans can watch the match live on Eurosport, which holds the broadcasting rights in Spain, and will also provide extensive coverage of the entire tournament.