Practice or premiere? Jannik Sinner and Coco Gauff steal the spotlight at Roland Garros!

Jannik Sinner and Coco Gauff took full advantage of their final practice sessions at Roland Garros, fitting in some last-minute prep before the main draw action began.

With play now underway in Paris, both are sure to be at the centre of attention throughout the tournament.

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Sinner, who comes in as the top seed, is aiming to complete a Career Grand Slam. Gauff returns to Paris as defending champion, looking to add another title to her record.

On Saturday, both took part in official Roland Garros practice sets, which included umpires and a scoreboard, giving players a closer feel for match conditions ahead of their opening rounds.

Both players take victories in the final practice matches

Sinner went up against Alexander Blockx, who is coming off a semi-final run in Madrid, and came out on top 6-2.

Gauff also picked up a win, defeating Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah of France 6-3 in her session.

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They weren’t the only notable names putting in work before the tournament began. Several other high-profile players also took part in practice matches ahead of the clay-court Grand Slam.

Elina Svitolina edged out Jessica Pegula 6-4, while Elena Rybakina matched that scoreline against Sorana Cirstea. Taylor Fritz also looked sharp, beating Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1.

Sinner then turned his attention to Rafael Nadal, with whom he partnered for a relaxed hit on Court Philippe Chatrier. That session drew plenty of attention from fans and media alike as the pair enjoyed some final touches before competition began.

Roland Garros sets opening week attendance record

The scorelines from those practice sets didn’t mean much, but the sessions were a useful tune-up for everyone involved, regardless of the results.

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Players picked up on areas they’ll want to work on, and the competitive edge of those practice matches should help them settle in once their real campaigns begin.

Meanwhile, there was good news for organisers even before play got started in Paris.

Attendance numbers set a new mark for Opening Week, with 138,000 fans making their way through the gates over six days. It’s a welcome boost at a time when discussions around prize money have become more prominent among players.

Aryna Sabalenka was among those speaking out. The WTA number one walked out of her opening press conference in protest over Roland Garros’ current revenue share of 15% going towards prize money.

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