After a collectively strong season on the clay and recent success at majors, hopes were high for Americans entering the 2025 French Open.
But few could have predicted just how well the United States’ top players would fare in Paris. On Saturday, after 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys escaped fellow countrywoman Sofia Kenin in a three-set thriller, eight Americans had officially reached the second week at Roland Garros.
That’s the most Americans into the round of 16 in 40 years.
With five women and three men remaining in the respective singles draws, it also marks a historic run for the men: The last time that many reached this stage in the event was 1995 — before any of the current men were born. The moment has not been lost on the players this week.
“I think that all the Americans are really excited,” Ben Shelton said Friday after he advanced. “We all always know that this is a tournament that historically we don’t do well in, a surface we historically struggle on. It would mean a lot, you know, how much respect you would gain for doing well here.”
Added Frances Tiafoe, who also won Friday: “Guys are just hungry, man. Just believe it. That’s kind of all it is.”
No American has won the French Open singles title since Serena Williams in 2015, and no man has done so since Andre Agassi in 1999. Will one of these players be able to make history next weekend in Paris? Here are the Americans remaining in the draw, and how they got here.
Players she has beaten so far: Olivia Gadecki, Tereza Valentova, Marie Bouzkova
Up next: No. 20 Ekaterina Alexandrova
There was perhaps no player with more momentum — save for maybe Carlos Alcaraz — entering the French Open this year than Gauff. The 21-year-old reached the final in Madrid and Rome, notching wins over Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva (twice) and Zheng Qinwen, and looked to be playing the best tennis of her career on the surface.
She was a pre-tournament favorite to win the title — and Gauff has proved why throughout her three matches in Paris.
Gauff, who reached the final at Roland Garros in 2022, cruised in her first two matches and looked well on her way to doing the same in her round-of-32 clash against Bouzkova. However, Bouzkova raised her level in the second set, and Gauff looked increasingly vulnerable. But there would be no upset Saturday. Gauff was relentless around the court, hitting 22 winners and winning five of her eight net points in the second set. Once trailing 5-3, Gauff fought her way back to force a tiebreak and ensure there would be no third set. Gauff won 6-1, 7-6 (3), and only helped fuel her self-belief before her next match.
Coco Gauff defeated Marie Bouzkova 6-1, 7-6 (3) to reach Week 2 of the French Open 👏 pic.twitter.com/mq5sD3WQO5
— espnW (@espnW) May 31, 2025
“I think, just for long-term-wise, and obviously mentally, it’s a lot better to finish that in two sets,” Gauff said after the match. “Yeah, it gives me a little more confidence in finding ways to win maybe when playing opponents like that and try not to kind of self-destruct.”
On Monday, Gauff will take on Alexandrova, against whom she owns a 3-1 career record. If she were to advance, she would face the winner of the all-American blockbuster between Keys and Hailey Baptiste with a chance to return to the French Open semifinals for the second straight year.
Players she has beaten so far: Anca Todoni, Ann Li, Marketa Vondrousova
Up next: Lois Boisson
After missing the entirety of the 2024 European clay season with injury, Pegula showed no signs of rust by winning the title on the green clay in Charleston in April. Although she didn’t have the same success in her next four events, everything seems to be clicking for Pegula in Paris.
The 31-year-old, who reached her first major final last season at the US Open, didn’t drop a set in her first two rounds and then dug deep to force a comeback in her round-of-32 clash against Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion and a 2019 French Open finalist. After not producing a single break point in the opening set, Pegula broke Vondrousova three straight times in the second set and was largely in control the rest of the way.
Pegula takes down 2019 finalist Vondrousova in straight sets 👊🇺🇸
Watch the highlights and relive the top plays 📺👀#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/wTVvrtvQ8a— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2025
Pegula now has a favorable matchup in the fourth round Monday as she takes on Boisson, the surprise French upstart ranked No. 361 and making her major main draw debut as a wild card. Pegula told reporters Saturday that she had never faced a French player at Roland Garros but was excited for it.
“Obviously [she is] going to have some crazy support,” Pegula said. “I’m pretty good at kind of zoning out. I have played in some pretty rowdy crowds. I think it will be fun. It will be cool to be a part of that. Even though they’re not for me, it will still be fun. They’re going to be going crazy.”
If Pegula defeats Boisson, she would reach the quarterfinals at the French Open for the second time, the first time since 2022. It would mark the seventh major quarterfinal of her career and give her the chance to reach her second Grand Slam semifinal.
No. 7 Madison Keys
Players she has beaten so far: Daria Saville, Katie Boulter, No. 31 Sofia Kenin
Up next: Hailey Baptiste
It’s been a dominant and resurgent year for 30-year-old Keys. After making peace with the idea that she might never win a major, Keys rattled off one impressive win after another in Melbourne to claim the Australian Open title in January.
Since that long-awaited triumph, Keys has returned to the top 10 and has reached the semifinals at Indian Wells and the quarterfinals in Madrid.
And now, at the French Open, she has reached the fourth round for the first time since 2022. She saved three match points in her battle with Kenin, a fellow Australian Open champion and the 2020 French Open runner-up, for the 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory.
Now just Baptiste stands in her way of reaching her first quarterfinal at Roland Garros since 2019. Keys won their only prior meeting on the surface on the green clay in Charleston in 2023 in commanding fashion 6-1, 6-2 and certainly has experience on her side.
But Keys didn’t seem to be taking the matchup for granted when speaking to the media shortly after her win over Kenin — and couldn’t hide her pride for Baptiste.
“I think Hailey is a great player,” Keys said. “… I’m not surprised. I have seen her growing up. I think she’s had incredible talent the entire time. So, really happy for her to see all of the success that she’s having, kind of putting that all together and climbing up the rankings.
“All that said, I think it’s going to be a really tough match. She’s very talented. She has a lot of tangibles, and she knows how to kind of mix up paces, but can also, all of a sudden, absolutely crack the ball. Going to be a really tough match, but looking forward to it.”
Hailey Baptiste
Players she has beaten so far: No. 23 Beatriz Haddad Maia, Nao Hibino, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
Up next: No. 7 Madison Keys
While all of the other remaining Americans are currently top-20 players and have reached major semifinals previously, 23-year-old Baptiste is having her career breakthrough in Paris.
Before the French Open, Baptiste had never advanced past the second round at a Slam and had made the main draw at a major just twice in the past three years. But she certainly hasn’t looked inexperienced or like an underdog at Roland Garros. During her first-round match, she came back after losing the opening set to Haddad Maia — in front of a packed, heavily Brazilian crowd — and kept her opponent to just four games in the final two sets combined.
Baptiste, who is coached by Frances Tiafoe’s twin brother, Franklin, hasn’t dropped a set since. In addition to her career-best major result, Baptiste is projected to reach a career-high ranking of No. 58 following Saturday’s win — no matter what happens next.
While taking on Keys will be difficult, Baptiste knows she can beat her. Baptiste earned the first win of her WTA career as a wild card at the Washington Open in 2019 against Keys 7-6 (4), 6-2. Although Baptiste lost their other two meetings, she believes the initial victory could help her Monday.
“It was my first WTA match. I mean, I think I had a lot of nerves and a lot of excitement, and I was obviously playing somebody that I looked up to,” Baptiste said. “I was just loose, having fun, I was in my hometown. So I just remember enjoying the moment and playing in front of a big crowd. … That’s kind of the same thing that I’m going to do.”
Players she has beaten so far: Nina Stojanovic, Viktorija Golubic, No. 22 Clara Tauson
Up next: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka
Roland Garros was the site of Anisimova’s career breakout in 2019, when she reached her first — and currently only — major semifinal. It’s been a roller coaster on and off of the court for the 23-year-old since then, but her play this season and during the first week in Paris has reminded everyone just how dangerous she can be when at her best.
Anisimova won the biggest title of her career, and first of any level since 2022, earlier this season at the 1000-level Qatar Open and reached a career-high ranking of No. 16 in March. Following her third-round victory Friday, she was projected to rise to No. 14 in the next rankings.
She arrived in Paris without much momentum on the surface — failing to win a match in Madrid or Rome — but that hasn’t shown at Roland Garros this far. Anisimova has yet to drop a set and even recorded a bagel set in her second-round match.
Although facing top-ranked Sabalenka won’t be easy, Anisimova has history on her side. In their seven previous meetings, the American has won five of them, including their most recent showdown in Toronto last year. She sounded excited for the challenge when speaking to reporters Friday.
“It’s always special to play someone who’s ranked No. 1 in the world,” Anisimova said. “It’s not often you get to do that, so I really try and embrace the opportunity and the experience. It will be on a big court, too. I love playing on big stadiums. I’m just going to try and go in there and really enjoy the atmosphere and enjoy the crowd. And, yeah, try to put up a fight.”
Players he has beaten so far: Elmer Moller, Marton Fucsovics, No. 24 Karen Khachanov
Up next: No. 25 Alexei Popyrin
In his three matches at Roland Garros, Paul has played 14 sets and has spent nearly 11 hours on court. His match against Khachanov — which lasted four hours and seven minutes — was the third-longest of his career. So, nothing has been easy for Paul, but he has continued to find ways to win and is now into the fourth round at the French Open for the first time in his career.
He has had a strong season so far, reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and cracking the top 10 for the first time. Paul, who won the 2015 French Open junior title, has been particularly impressive on clay, with a semifinal appearance at the Italian Open earlier this month. He ultimately fell to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner but pushed him to three sets, and the run in Rome still showed how capable Paul can be on the surface.
Paul, 28, will now have the chance to reach his fourth major quarterfinal as he takes on Popyrin on Sunday. The two have met just twice before — and never on clay — with the series split. Paul won their most recent match, at the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships in 2024. Paul said that he knew Popyrin was capable of playing “unbelievable” tennis (just ask Novak Djokovic) but that he was going to try to rest and get as much sleep as possible before the match.
“I’m just excited to play,” Paul said Friday. “I mean, this is Grand Slam tennis, and this is why we play the sport, you know.”
No. 13 Ben Shelton
Players he has beaten so far: Lorenzo Sonego, Hugo Gaston (retired ahead of match), Matteo Gigante
Up next: No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz
Playing in just the third French Open of his young career, Shelton opened his 2025 campaign and the first day of the tournament by playing the featured night match on Philippe Chatrier. And with all eyes on him, the 22-year-old more than delivered. Trailing two sets to one, Shelton raised his level under the lights and won in five thrilling sets.
And while many of his peers had to battle for their spot in the round of 32, Shelton was unexpectedly given the day off when Gaston withdrew from the tournament the day before they were supposed to play. The extended rest seemed to do Shelton good as he dominated in his match Friday against Gigante 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. Victory never seemed in doubt as he slid and moved all over the clay with ease. He’s now into the second week at the French Open for the first time.
BEN SHELTON REALLY WON THIS POINT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uC0mtOFRxt
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 30, 2025
Shelton, who reached the final of the BMW Open in Munich in April, now faces a herculean challenge in Alcaraz, the defending champion, Sunday. Shelton hasn’t beaten Alcaraz in their two prior meetings and the crowd will certainly be on the Spaniard’s side, but Shelton often seems to be at his best during the biggest moments.
“Playing the defending champion, round of 16, I’m guessing center court, that’s a pretty cool opportunity, pretty cool experience, that not a lot of people get or see in their lifetime,” Shelton said. “For me, I’m definitely going to enjoy it and go out there and see what I can do, because I’m starting to gain some speed, gain a little bit of traction on this surface, and starting to see some of my best tennis. So I like to think of myself as dangerous whenever I get to that place. Yeah, really looking forward to it.”
If Shelton were to pull off the upset, it would mark his fourth Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance and he would rise to a career-high ranking of No. 11.
No. 15 Frances Tiafoe
Players he has beaten so far: Roman Safiullin, Pablo Carreno Busta, No. 23 Sebastian Korda
Up next: Daniel Altmaier
Entering the tournament, 27-year-old Tiafoe had reached the second week at every major except the French Open. He has had some success on the surface, winning the title at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston in 2023 and reaching the final in the two years since. But he had just a 5-9 record at Roland Garros and had made it to the third round only once.
One year can change everything.
Despite lackluster results in the lead-in events, Tiafoe has been nearly unstoppable in Paris and has yet to drop a set. Against Korda, who had won their previous two meetings, Tiafoe needed a tiebreak to win the opening set, but then took control to cruise into the fourth round.
And perhaps no one among the American men has a better chance of reaching the quarterfinals than Tiafoe. Facing Altmaier, who upset top-ranked American Taylor Fritz in the first round, Tiafoe is certainly the favorite and has a 2-0 record against him, including most recently on clay in Rome in 2023.
If Tiafoe advances, it would mark the first non-hard-court major quarterfinals of his career, and his first time reaching the round outside of U.S. soil since 2019. Tiafoe admitted he was enjoying the lack of pressure from playing in front of a home crowd.
“At the [US] Open, there is so much anticipation, there’s so much energy. Here I feel like it’s like a workman-type vibe,” Tiafoe said Friday. “Still a lot of people, [at the] French Open, it’s amazing here. But there’s nothing like the Open [in New York]. The Open is a whole different kind of beast. Obviously I have expectations from y’all, being American. I have two semis, blah, blah, blah. I’ve made history. This is a different vibe. This is easier in a sense where I can kind of just go and be me.”
