Roland-Garros 2023: Team Yonex Starts Strong On The First Round

Paris, FRANCE — With Elena Rybakina (KAZ) premiering her new head-to-toe look, Stan Wawrinka (SUI) setting a record, and Frances Tiafoe (USA) bringing his star power to the clay, Team Yonex took center stage during the first round at Roland-Garros. 

At the Roland-Garros, Yonex is the second most used racquet brand in the tournament. 27 percent of the athletes in the women's singles, and 15 percent of the athletes in the men's singles are currently competing with Yonex racquets. Here are some of the highlights by Team Yonex from the opening round of the clay-court Grand Slam.

Rybakina shows how to make an entrance

Court Suzanne Lenglen - a stadium named after a legendary female tennis player, and one of the biggest stages in tennis - was an ideal setting for Elena Rybakina to make her first appearance as a head-to-toe ambassador of Yonex. Wearing the 2023 Paris Collection, the 2022 Wimbledon champion and current World No. 4 defeated Czech qualifier Brenda Fruhvirtova 6-4, 6-2. Building on her run in Rome, where she took her first WTA 1000 tournament on clay, extended her winning streak to seven matches. 

Tiafoe's celebrity supporters 

American NBA stars and musicians gathered at Court 7 to watch US representative Frances Tiafoe in his Round 1 match in the Roland-Garros. The American World No.12 defeated Serbia's Filip Krajinovic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. “It’s crazy. Bringing those guys on Court 7 is wild,” said Tiafoe.

New five-set record for Wawrinka 

Celebrated for the power and artistry of his single-handed backhand, Stan Wawrinka has something else that sets him apart: his competitive spirit. That inner fire from his victory eight years after he won the men's singles title at Roland-Garros, was very much on display, at his first-round match against Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas thrilled his Parisian supporters. 

Wawrinka's 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-7(2), 1-6, 6-4 win, a tough battle which took over four and a half hours, was his tenth five-set victory at Roland-Garros, a record for the Open Era. Wawrinka, a head-to-toe ambassador for Yonex, next plays Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS), a wild card who is also part of Team Yonex. 

Noskova steps up

A 2021 girls' Singles champion at Roland-Garros, Linda Noskova (CZE) is already making her presence felt in the women's game, with the teenager reaching the second round for the first time. Noskova was leading 6-3, 2-1 until Montenegro's Danka Kovinic retired. 

Garcia extends her first-round streak in Paris 

As the first female representative from France to be a top-5 seed in Paris since 2007, Caroline Garcia (FRA) returns in head-to-toe Yonex wear at her home Grand Slam this season. However, even with the extra attention and expectations, she remained “calm and positive” throughout her first-round matches at Roland-Garros. Garcia’s opening match against China’s Xiyu Wang lasted over two and a half hours at Court Phillipe-Chatrier, which resulted with her 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4 victory, securing a spot to the next round.

Hurkacz's repeat win 

Another head-to-toe Yonex ambassador, Hubert Hurkacz (POL), also made progress in Paris. It was the second year in a row that he had beaten Belgium's David Goffin in five sets in the first round in Roland-Garros. The match lasted over three and a half hours, resulting in 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. 

 Elena Rybakina (KAZ) | VCORE 100/ POLYTOUR FIRE 125 / Paris Collection
Frances Tiafoe (USA) | VCORE PRO 97 /POLYTOUR PRO 125
Stan Wawrinka (SUI) | VCORE PRO 97 / ECLIPSION / Paris Collection
Linda Noskova (CZE) | EZONE 98 / POLYTOUR STRIKE 125 / ECLIPSION / Paris Collection
Caroline Garcia (FRA) | VCORE 100 / POLYTOUR STRIKE 125 / Paris Collection
Hubert Hurkacz (POL) | VCORE PRO 97 / ECLIPSION / Paris Collection