Britain's Emma Raducanu suffered a disappointing first-round exit at the 2026 French Open, losing 6-0, 7-6 (7-4) to Argentina's Solana Sierra. The Brit struggled in the first set but fought back in the second before losing in a tie-break.
Britain's Emma Raducanu endured another disappointing outing on clay as she crashed out of the 2026 French Open in the first round following a 6-0, 7-6 (7-4) defeat to Argentina's Solana Sierra at Roland Garros on Sunday.
The 23-year-old, playing her third French Open main draw, struggled to find rhythm against the aggressive and composed Sierra, who dominated the opening set and held firm in a tense second-set tie-break to seal victory in under two hours, according to Olympics.com.
Raducanu's Comeback Struggles
Raducanu, currently Great Britain's highest-ranked women's singles player, has been trying to regain momentum after returning from a lengthy absence caused by post-viral illness. She had also suffered an opening-round defeat in Strasbourg last week during her comeback tournament.
How the Match Unfolded
The Briton made a nervous start in Paris, saving two break points in the opening game before Sierra converted a third opportunity to take early control. The Argentine world No. 68 quickly imposed herself on the contest, holding serve confidently and breaking Raducanu repeatedly to race through the first set in just 24 minutes without dropping a game.
Sierra continued her dominance in the second set, breaking twice to establish a 4-1 lead. However, Raducanu showed signs of recovery, fighting back with improved serving and baseline play to level the set at 5-5. The former US Open champion twice exchanged breaks with Sierra late in the set before forcing a tie-break. But the Argentine held her nerve in the decisive moments, closing out the match 7-4 in the breaker.
A Formidable Opponent
Ahead of the contest, Raducanu had acknowledged the challenge posed by Sierra, describing the 21-year-old as a dangerous clay-court opponent. Sierra had also impressed on grass last season with a surprise run to the fourth round at Wimbledon.
Earliest French Open Exit for Raducanu
The defeat marks Raducanu's earliest exit at Roland Garros, having previously reached the second round in 2022 and 2025. Raducanu shot to global prominence in 2021 when she became the first qualifier in history to win a Grand Slam title at the US Open.
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