The 2025 edition of Roland-Garros featured one of the most surprising major breakthroughs in recent years, with world No. 361 Loïs Boisson’s Cinderella run to the semifinals in her Grand Slam main-draw debut.
The French wildcard defeated the likes of world No. 3 Jessica Pegula and world No. 6 Mirra Andreeva on her way to the final four, bringing the 22-year-old to No. 65 in the WTA rankings – up 296 spots
The question now is, will the Parisian clay be home to another Boisson-esc run this year? Here are the players to keep your eye on one month out from Roland-Garros.
(Note: To be considered, they must NOT have reached the second week of a Grand Slam)
Sara Bejlek
Sara Bejlek just recently made her mark on the tour but has yet to breakthrough at a major. The 20-year-old secured her maiden WTA title as a qualifier in Abu Dhabi, earning the biggest win of her career against world No. 11 Ekaterina Alexandrova in the final.
The Czech was seeded for the first time in a WTA main draw in Charleston, sitting at a career-high No. 34 ahead of the Big Clay events.
Bejlek has shown a lot of promise on the dirt, which makes sense considering her idol is 14-time Roland-Garros champion Rafael Nadal. The Czech southpaw has four WTA 125 titles to her name, all coming on clay, and made an impressive run at Madrid 2024 after she reached the round of 16 as a qualifier. Bejlek’s first and only win at a major came last season at Roland-Garros, where she stunned world No. 25 Marta Kostyuk in straights, but expect her to add at least a few more wins to her tally in Paris this year.
Tereza Valentova
Tereza Valentova adds to what may be a very promising clay season for Czech tennis. Like countrywoman Bejlek, Valentova also earned her maiden Grand-Slam match win at the French Open last year, before losing in round two to eventual champion Coco Gauff. However, the 19-year-old has stepped foot in the Roland-Garros winner’s circle in the past, hoisting the junior singles and doubles titles there in 2024.
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Valentova won a second Slam match at the 2025 US Open and was one-win short of making the second week at the Australian Open this year, losing in round three to another eventual champion in Elena Rybakina. The valuable major experience could be beneficial on clay’s biggest stage, already sporting four Grand-Slam match victories in her first three main-draw appearances.
Lilli Tagger
Lilli Tagger made some waves on home soil. The Austrian wildcard dazzled on the dirt in Linz, beating Paula Badosa and world No. 20 Liudmila Samsonova – both in straights – before losing to countrywoman Anastasia Potapova in the quarters. The result made the 18-year-old the youngest player in the WTA Top 100.
Tagger looks very comfortable on clay, and it helps having former Roland-Garros champion Francesca Schiavone as part of her team. The Austrian was a Junior French Open singles titlist in 2025 and has won three ITF clay-court trophies – her first came in March 2025 at the W35 Terrassa, where she defeated Boisson in the final.
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With the teenager’s surge in the WTA rankings, it wouldn’t be a surprise if fans get the chance to see her one-handed backhand at Roland-Garros, possibly as a wildcard.
Alice Tubello
Alice Tubello has put up similar results to 2025 Boisson ahead of this year’s French Open. After starting the season with just one win in her first six matches on the concrete, the change in surface has benefitted the Frenchwoman. Tubello was ranked outside the Top 430 prior to the start of the clay season but has since made back-to-back ITF W35 finals, reaching the title match as a qualifier in San Gregorio then hoisting the trophy at the same event the following week.
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The 25-year-old’s win streak hit eight after a semifinal finish at the W50 Bujumbura, Burundi and she now sits at No. 297, six spots higher than Boisson at this time last year. Her participation at Roland-Garros may ultimately depend on if she is awarded a main-draw or qualification wildcard but, if Tubello continues her strong form on the dirt, she can definitely grab some attention.
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Feature Photo: Owen Hammond
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