2025 French Open Begins with Rain Delays as American Stars Await Their Turn
The 2025 French Open officially kicked off today, May 25, at Roland Garros, but nature had its own plans. Despite a promising start with a talent-packed draw, persistent rain in Paris quickly disrupted the tournament’s first-round action—especially on the outdoor courts.
While American players like Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and Tommy Paul were ready to make their mark, rain delays became the day’s biggest obstacle. Matches were halted early, with renowned tennis journalist Jose Morgado confirming via social media, “No play on the outside courts before 2.30pm. And it won’t happen. It’s raining a lot.” BBC forecasts echoed the same, predicting light showers and moderate breeze to continue till at least 6pm UTC.
Tommy Paul’s match against Elmer Moller was paused mid-battle after the second set due to drizzle on Court Simonne-Mathieu. Reilly Opelka’s clash with Rinky Hijikata on Court 7 also saw interruption. Other American players, including Amanda Anisimova, Alex Michelsen, and Jenson Brooksby, are now facing similar uncertainty with outdoor match delays looming.
However, not all courts were affected. The matches scheduled at the covered Court Philippe Chatrier remained on track, allowing key clashes like Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs. Qinwen Zheng, Lorenzo Musetti vs. Yannick Hanfmann, and Ben Shelton vs. Lorenzo Sonego to proceed without hindrance.
The downpour raises bigger questions for the tournament’s scheduling and the preparedness of outdoor Grand Slam events. While weather remains out of human control, calls for more indoor facilities may intensify if delays become the norm.
For now, all eyes are on the skies—and on whether the rain will test American players more than their on-court opponents.