South African tennis star Lloyd Harris has qualified for the men’s singles draw of the 2025 French Open, securing his place at Roland Garros after a determined run through the qualifying rounds.
Harris, currently ranked a lowly 227th in the world, battled through three tough matches on the clay courts of Paris, showcasing his growing comfort on the surface that has traditionally been his weakest.
In his final qualifying match, Harris defeated Croatia’s Marin Cilic 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, using his powerful serve and baseline aggression to overcome early nerves and seal the win.
In his earlier qualifiers, Harris beat Finland’s Otto Virtanen 6-4, 7-5 and Switzerland’s Marc-Andrea Hüsler 6-4, 6-2.
Back on the Grand Slam stage
The 28-year-old’s qualification marks a significant comeback after a challenging few seasons plagued by injury and inconsistent form.
Once ranked as high as 31st in the world, Harris is now on a mission to reclaim his place among tennis’s elite.
“It feels amazing to be back in the main draw at a Grand Slam,” Harris said in a post-match interview.
“The clay has always been a challenge for me, but I’ve worked hard this season and I’m feeling confident.”
Eyes on Round One
Lloyd Harris will take on Russia’s Andrey Rublev, the 17th-seed, in Round One in Paris.
The two have faced each other twice previously at ATP Tour level – with Rublev having won on both occasions.
In fact, Harris has never won a set against Rublev.
Their first encounter came in 2020 in the final in Adelaide on hard court where Rublev won 6-3, 6-0.
A year later they faced off in the Round of 64 on the grass at Wimbledon where Rublev won 6-1, 6-2, 7-5.
Harris’s best French Open result to date have been second-round appearances in 2019, 2020 and 2021, but fans are hopeful that this year could see a deeper run.
The 2025 French Open main draw begins on Sunday, 26 May.
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