WTA French Open – Clara Tauson vs Arantxa Rus

WTA French Open – Clara Tauson vs Arantxa Rus

🧠 Form & Context

Clara Tauson
🎢 Rollercoaster ride: Needed three sets to get past Magda Linette in R1 but showed her class in the decider (6-4, 4-6, 6-1).
🔥 Slam promise: 5–0 career in R1 at Roland-Garros, and reached the 4th round last year — her best Slam result to date.
📉 Clay concerns: Entered Paris with just two clay wins in four events but has clear upside based on early-season hardcourt success (Auckland title, Dubai final).
📈 Power game: When on song, her baseline aggression overwhelms mid-tier players.

Arantxa Rus
🪞 Survived herself: Posted over 50 unforced errors vs. Camila Osorio but managed to outlast the Colombian in three erratic sets.
⏳ Long wait: Hasn’t reached the 3rd round of a Slam since 2012, when she stunned Sam Stosur here en route to R4.
🧱 Clay history: Despite 600+ career matches, Rus has never found reliable Slam form, especially outside of early clay breakthroughs.
🕳️ Weak 2025: No third-round showings at any level this year; lost early in every WTA main draw since October 2024.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This is a classic case of a clean-hitting rising seed vs. a veteran who tends to hang back and wait for errors — which is dangerous against someone like Tauson. The Dane has a high-risk style, but against a passive returner like Rus, it often pays off.

Rus might enjoy some extended rallies, especially if Tauson’s backhand misfires, but she lacks the pace to take time away. Tauson’s key will be controlled aggression — maintaining first serve percentage and keeping rallies short on her terms.

If the match extends into long exchanges or a third set, Rus’s durability might surface. But Tauson’s record against lower-ranked players is rock solid, and she knows how to turn up in Slams.

🔮 Prediction

Prediction: Tauson in 2 sets – Rus doesn’t have the weapons to disrupt her.