Aryna Sabalenka eased into the second round of the French Open with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory over Russia's Erika Andreeva on Court Philippe-Chatrier. But the world number one found herself fielding questions not about her powerful groundstrokes, but about the diamond necklace and earrings she wore during the match — a set estimated to be worth in the region of £200,000.
Sabalenka, 27, has been an outspoken advocate for increased prize money in tennis, particularly for lower-ranked players. When asked whether wearing such valuable jewellery contradicted that stance, she dismissed the notion. 'I don't think it's hypocritical at all,' she said. 'We work incredibly hard. I can support better pay for everyone and still enjoy nice things. The two are not mutually exclusive.' The Belarusian added that she had received no complaints from other players about her choice of accessories.
The debate comes as the French Tennis Federation announced a total prize fund of £53.6 million for this year's tournament — a 7.8 per cent increase on 2024. Winners of the men's and women's singles titles will each receive £2.4 million. However, players exiting in the first round take home just £73,000, a figure that has drawn criticism from the Professional Tennis Players Association.
Sabalenka, who is chasing her first French Open title after reaching the semi-finals in 2023 and 2024, was in ruthless form against Andreeva. She fired 28 winners and broke serve five times in a match lasting just 68 minutes. The victory extends her winning streak on clay to nine matches, following her Madrid Open triumph last month. She will face Japan's Moyuka Uchijima in the second round.
Elsewhere, British No.1 Katie Boulter overcame a slow start to beat France's Clara Burel 7-5, 6-3. Boulter, ranked 28th in the world, will next face American qualifier Hailey Baptiste. Cameron Norrie, the British men's No.2, was due to play his first-round match later today against Argentina's Francisco Cerúndolo. Source: LTA, Roland Garros official site.