24-year-old American tennis player Caty McNally secured her first-ever main draw singles win at the French Open on May 24, 2026, News.Az reports, citing Yahoo Sports.
After struggling with injuries in recent years, McNally faced Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the opening round.
Competing in blistering heat and on slippery red clay, McNally — who had never lost to Tomljanovic in their two previous meetings — dropped the opening set and fell behind by a break.
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Regaining her confidence and aided by a Superman-like outfit change between the second and third sets, McNally battled back to complete the comeback victory in more than two and a half hours.
McNally is one of 19 American women competing in the 2026 Roland Garros main draw, the highest number in more than two decades. She also became the first American woman to reach the second round this year.
Her next challenge will be against Belinda Bencic, making her path through the tournament considerably tougher.
In addition to singles, McNally is also competing in doubles alongside Australia’s Storm Hunter.
Opening day at Roland Garros began with unusually intense and oppressive heat, with temperatures approaching 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Bright sunshine also created visibility issues for players serving and competing on the wide-open outer courts.
Elsewhere in the tournament, potential title contender Marta Kostyuk, the reigning Madrid Open champion, won her first-round match. Following the victory, she became emotional while revealing that her parents had narrowly escaped a missile strike in Ukraine earlier in the day.
Another American in action was Hailey Baptiste, who faced 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova in one of the day’s most intriguing first-round encounters.
Fans in the United States can watch Roland Garros matches on TNT Sports, the American broadcaster for the French Open. Tennis Channel is also providing live coverage from several outer courts.
