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 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.

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.

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.