Jacob Fearnley Faces Stan Wawrinka in French Open Opener

PARIS, France — Jacob Fearnley, the British tennis player ranked 55th in the world, will make his debut at the French Open on May 25 against 40-year-old Swiss champion Stan Wawrinka, a former winner at Roland Garros. The match will take place on Court 14 around 14:00 BST.

Fearnley, who was just a month shy of his fourth birthday when Wawrinka first competed at the French Open in 2005, acknowledges the experience gap. Nevertheless, he holds confidence in his ability to compete, despite Wawrinka’s storied history in the tournament.

“You have to give your opponents a certain amount of respect,” Fearnley said. “But I think the challenge is maybe not giving them too much respect so that then you go into the match thinking you’re going to lose.” Fearnley emphasized his intention to focus on winning rather than being daunted by Wawrinka’s legend.

This match is part of a significant day for British tennis, with three other players competing. Notably, Emma Raducanu will return to the French Open at 10:00 against China’s Wang Xinyu, and Katie Boulter will face French qualifier Carole Monnet in a bid for her first win in Paris.

The build-up to Fearnley’s match highlights a trend of young athletes facing well-established stars. Last year, the 23-year-old faced top-ranked players like Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon and Nick Kyrgios at the Australian Open.

Fearnley commented on his unique journey, recalling that just a year ago, he was unranked and competing in the U.S. college system. “A year ago we had just won our first national championships at TCU,” he said, referring to Texas Christian University. “To see the progression and a year later be playing the main draw at the French Open is pretty incredible.”

As he prepares for his match, Fearnley remains excited about the experience, saying, “I still do get starstruck. Like in Rome when [Jannik] Sinner came and gave me a handshake. When Djokovic says ‘hi’ to me, it’s still a little bit strange.”

This encounter at Roland Garros marks the next step in Fearnley’s blossoming career, as he aims to continue his ascent in the tennis world.