Emma Says About French Open Exit After First Set Nightmare Against Solana Sierra

Emma Raducanu admitted she struggled with confidence and control during her opening-round defeat at the French Open 2026 after losing to Argentina’s Solana Sierra in Paris.

The British number one failed to settle into the contest early and dropped the first set without winning a game. Although Raducanu recovered strongly in the second set and forced a tie-break, Sierra maintained control in the closing stages to seal the victory.

Emma Says About French Open Conditions

Speaking after the match, Raducanu said the playing conditions made it difficult for her to trust her game throughout the contest.

“It was difficult,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve fully processed it yet, so it’s hard to speak about the match right now.

“But I have to at least take the fact that, from a set and 4-1 down, I came back and made it competitive in the second set. I’m pretty disappointed. Obviously I wanted to do better.”

The 23-year-old committed 42 unforced errors during the match and said she never felt fully comfortable on court.

“I went on the court, I felt like the conditions were extremely lively and I felt like I wasn’t able to trust my shots and didn’t feel like I had control over the ball,” Raducanu added.

“I think probably just a bit light on matches, a bit light on confidence coming into the tournament.”

Limited Preparation Before French Open

Raducanu entered the tournament after limited match practice following a post-viral illness that disrupted her schedule in recent months. She had played only once in the two-and-a-half months leading into the French Open.

Despite the defeat, Raducanu said she was pleased to have responded after a difficult opening set.

“The first set happened super quickly, and it’s not a nice feeling when the points and the games are going very, very fast. I’m glad at least in the second set I was able to get a few games on the board,” she said.

The defeat ends Raducanu’s campaign in the opening round, while Solana Sierra advances to the next stage in Paris.