Alex de Minaur Faces Laslo Djere in Roland Garros Opener

PARIS, France — Alex de Minaur will compete against Laslo Djere in the first round of the 2025 Roland Garros, marking a significant matchup on the clay courts. Djere, a 29-year-old from Serbia, has advanced to the third round at Roland Garros twice before, in 2019 and 2021. Recently, he captured his third career title at the Chile Open, ending a five-year title drought.

De Minaur, currently ranked No. 9 in the world, seeks to build on his successes this season. Although his last title came at the 2024 Libema Open, he has shown consistent performance in major tournaments, achieving his best result in Paris last year when he reached the quarterfinals.

Entering this tournament with great momentum, De Minaur boasts a 26-10 record this season. His performance has been strong across various surfaces, with notable quarterfinals in Melbourne, Qatar, and Barcelona, alongside a semifinal appearance in Monte Carlo. He also finished as a runner-up at the Rotterdam Open, where he narrowly lost to Carlos Alcaraz in three sets.

Djere arrives at Roland Garros with a solid 12-4 record this year. His notable achievements include a title at the Chile Open and a semifinal showing in Argentina. Despite some early exits in other tournaments, Djere’s serving has been a key asset, with a total of 75 aces and a 74% success rate on his first serves.

In their previous encounters, De Minaur leads their head-to-head record at 3-0, with their rivalry tracing back to 2019, when he won their first match in straight sets at the Paris Masters. They faced off again at the Queen's Club in London in 2021, where De Minaur triumphed after rallying from a set down. Their last meeting took place in 2023 at the Libema Open, which proved to be their closest contest yet.

With both players eager to establish their presence at Roland Garros, this matchup is anticipated as one of the most intriguing first-round matches of the tournament. While Djere possesses the skills suited for clay, De Minaur’s all-surface experience and current form give him the advantage going into the match.

Prediction: Alex de Minaur in straight sets.