Emma Raducanu on early collision course with Iga Swiatek at the French Open

The 22-year-old was handed a tricky path in Paris while Jack Draper will open against Mattia Bellucci

(AP)

Emma Raducanu could face four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek in the second round at Roland Garros.

Swiatek has won the title for the last three years while Raducanu, who must first get past China’s Wang Xinyu, has only played the tournament once before.

That was back in 2022, when she reached the second round, with the former US Open champion missing 2023 following operations on both wrists and one ankle and then opting not to compete in qualifying last year.

She returns to Paris ranked back inside the top 50 and will hope to continue her encouraging form on the clay, which included a run to the fourth round of the Italian Open.

Raducanu struggled with a recurrence of a back problem during a second-round loss to Danielle Collins at the WTA event in Strasbourg on Wednesday but it is understood there is no concern around her participation at Roland Garros, with the 22-year-old on her way to the French capital.

While Swiatek, who defeated Raducanu for the loss of just one game at the Australian Open in January, would represent a formidable challenge, it has been a difficult season for the Pole.

She has not won a title since last year’s French Open and has slipped to fifth in the rankings after uncharacteristic performances on her favourite surface.

Swiatek, who faces Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova first up, joined Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele at the draw, and said: “Everybody’s here to win. I’m working hard to be ready and to play as good tennis as possible.

“For sure this season had more ups and downs but I know my game is there. I just have to figure out how to use it in the best possible way. Tennis is sometimes a complicated sport but we should make it easy in our heads.”

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Swiatek is in the top half of the draw along with Aryna Sabalenka, who faces Russian Kamilla Rakhimova in the first round, and could face a repeat of last year’s final against Jasmine Paolini in the last eight.

Second seed Coco Gauff is the highest-ranked player in the bottom half and will open against Australia’s Olivia Gadecki.

British number one Jack Draper is a leading seed at a grand slam for the first time as the world number five and will face Italian Mattia Bellucci in the first round.

Carlos Alcaraz, right, and Ousmane Dembele at the draw (Christophe Ena/AP)

The 23-year-old has landed on the strong side of the draw with top seed Jannik Sinner in his quarter and both Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic also in his half.

Cameron Norrie was given the toughest draw of the British players against 11th seed Daniil Medvedev while debutant Jacob Fearnley will face former champion Stan Wawrinka.

In the women’s draw, Katie Boulter will face a qualifier ahead of a potential second-round meeting with Australian Open champion Madison Keys while Sonay Kartal meets Erika Andreeva and Jodie Burrage plays Collins.

Sinner, who is bidding for a third consecutive grand slam title after returning from his three-month doping ban, plays France’s Arthur Rinderknech in the first round.

Djokovic, who turned 38 on Thursday, opens his latest campaign for a 25th slam crown against Mackenzie McDonald while defending champion and second seed Carlos Alcaraz faces former US Open runner-up Kei Nishikori.

Britain could yet have an eighth player in the main singles draw, with Fran Jones battling to a 2-6 6-3 6-4 victory over Japan’s Mai Hontama in the second round of qualifying.

She will face Ukraine’s Anastasiia Sobolieva in the final round but Dan Evans is out after losing 6-1 6-3 to France’s Clement Tabur.