French Open 2025: At Roland Garros, Carlos Alcaraz progresses, Casper Ruud doesn’t

Paris: Carlos Alcaraz is not a creature of proclivity, rather the French Open’s defending champion is instinctive. It’s the way he plays his tennis — feeling his way into a match, and dissecting the court — the way he lives his life.The 22-year-old, who arrived at Roland Garros wearing a scruffy look, beard and overgrown crop, played his first-round match flaunting the fatigued tint. On Wednesday, however, the second seed rocked a new look against Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan. Alcaraz, who flew his barber into Paris, was given a close crop, shaved sides and tapered back finish, a style that was met with mixed reviews on the net. The second seed chased down a mid-match fightback from the Hungarian to score a 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win on Court Philippe Chatrier.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Alcaraz, who is unafraid to ride the mood, said he was lucky that his barber Victor was free to fly into Paris. “(When we were) talking, (I asked that) he bring the materials to cut my hair,” Alcaraz said. “I think everybody saw my hair, my beard. I had to do something about it. I know people are not used to seeing me get a haircut during a (tournament), that’s why people were a little bit surprised, but I think that’s something normal.

”Meanwhile, on another rain-interrupted day at Roland Garros, seventh-seeded Casper Ruud, hampered by a left knee issue, went down 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-0 to Portugal’s Nuno Borges.
YUKI-GALLOWAY, BOPANNA-PAVLASEK WINIndia’s Yuki Bhambri and American Robert Galloway beat Dutchman Robin Haase and German Hendrik Jebens 6-3, 6-7 (8-10), 6-3 in 2 hr and 12 min in the first round of the men’s doubles. Next up are the 7th seeds — Croatia’s Nikola Mektic and Kiwi Michael Venus. Rohan Bopanna and Czech Adam Pavlasek put out Americans Robert Cash and J Tracy 7-6 (8-6), 5-7, 6-1.Rithvik Bollipalli and Colombia’s Nicolas Barrientos fell 0-6, 2-6 to Briton Jacob Fearnley and Canada’s Gabriel Diallo.