French Open 2025: Svitolina beats Bondar 3-6 6-1 7-6(3) in Roland Garros thriller
Synopsis
Svitolina and Bondar have become one of the WTA Tour's most compelling repeat match-ups — five meetings in 12 months, four at Grand Slams. Monday's Roland Garros clash was their most dramatic yet: a three-set battle that produced a 6-5 third-set comeback from Bondar before Svitolina's tiebreak dominance finally settled the score and extended her extraordinary 13-year streak at Paris.
Key Takeaways
Elina Svitolina defeated Anna Bondar 3-6 6-1 7-6(3) in the French Open 2025 first round on 25 May .
Svitolina advances to the second round at Roland Garros for a 13th consecutive year .
The win ended a three-match losing streak for Svitolina against Bondar, who had beaten her at the Madrid Open 2025 and US Open 2024 .
This was the fifth meeting between the pair in 12 months and their first to reach a deciding third set.
Svitolina won the tiebreak taking five of the first six points , converting on her second match point after creating seven in total.
Next opponent: qualifier Kaitlin Quevedo , on a nine-match winning streak and making her Grand Slam main draw debut.
Elina Svitolina survived a gruelling first-round test at the French Open 2025 on Monday, 25 May, coming from a set down to defeat Anna Bondar 3-6 6-1 7-6(3) in 2 hours and 26 minutes at Roland Garros. The victory extends Svitolina's remarkable run at the Paris clay-court major, sending the World No. 7 into the second round for a 13th consecutive year.
A Rivalry Renewed
Monday's contest was the fifth meeting between the two players in the span of just 12 months, with four of those clashes occurring at Grand Slams. Despite the considerable gap in their rankings, Bondar had handed Svitolina three consecutive defeats heading into this match, including victories at the Madrid Open earlier this year and the US Open last year. The Ukrainian's win on Monday snapped that losing streak and also marked her third career win over Bondar, following earlier victories at Wimbledon and the French Open last year. Notably, this was the first time their rivalry extended to a deciding third set — all four previous encounters had been settled in two.
How the Match Unfolded
Svitolina was below her best in the opening set, surrendering it 3-6 as Bondar dictated play from the baseline. The second set saw the Ukrainian rediscover her rhythm, repeatedly targeting her Hungarian opponent's movement from the back of the court and racing to a dominant 6-1 win. Bondar did show resilience — fighting back from five break points down in a pivotal service game to stay in contention — but Svitolina's level proved too high in the set's closing stages.
The deciding set produced the match's most dramatic exchanges. Svitolina broke to lead 5-3 and appeared set to serve out the contest, but Bondar staged a fierce comeback, winning 12 of the next 13 points to seize a 6-5 lead. Svitolina steadied, held to love, and forced the first 10-point match tiebreak of the tournament.
Tiebreak Dominance
In the tiebreak, Svitolina was clinical. She stormed to five of the first six points and, having created seven match points on serve, converted on her second match point to seal a hard-fought victory. The four-time French Open quarter-finalist demonstrated the composure that has defined her deep runs at Roland Garros over the years.
What's Next for Svitolina
Svitolina will face qualifier Kaitlin Quevedo in the second round — a player making her Grand Slam main draw debut. Quevedo arrives in fine form, riding a nine-match winning streak that includes a title at the ITF 100 Saint-Gaudens tournament and a successful run through qualifying at Roland Garros. The second-round clash promises to be another stern examination for the Ukrainian.
Point of View
Four at Grand Slams — the Svitolina-Bondar match-up has quietly become the WTA Tour's most intriguing recurring subplot, yet it rarely gets the billing it deserves. What makes it genuinely interesting is the inversion: a World No. 7 with a three-loss streak against a player ranked well outside the top tier. Monday's result restores the expected order, but Bondar's 12-of-13-points comeback in the third set underlines that the dynamic is far from settled. Svitolina's 13-year Roland Garros second-round streak is a remarkable consistency marker, but the real story is whether she can convert deep runs into a first Grand Slam title — and whether a qualifier in Quevedo, riding nine straight wins, might complicate that path sooner than expected.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the result of Svitolina vs Bondar at French Open 2025?
Elina Svitolina defeated Anna Bondar 3-6 6-1 7-6(3) in the first round of the French Open 2025 on 25 May at Roland Garros. The match lasted 2 hours and 26 minutes.
How many times have Svitolina and Bondar played each other?
Monday's match was their fifth meeting in 12 months, with four of those encounters taking place at Grand Slams. Bondar had won three of their four previous matches, including at the Madrid Open 2025 and US Open 2024.
Who does Svitolina play next at Roland Garros 2025?
Svitolina will face qualifier Kaitlin Quevedo in the second round. Quevedo is making her Grand Slam main draw debut and arrives on a nine-match winning streak, having won the ITF 100 Saint-Gaudens title and come through qualifying at Roland Garros.
What is Svitolina's record at Roland Garros?
With Monday's win, Svitolina has now reached the second round at Roland Garros for 13 consecutive years. She is also a four-time French Open quarter-finalist.
How did the deciding tiebreak play out?
Svitolina dominated the 10-point match tiebreak, taking five of the first six points. She had created seven match points on serve before converting on her second opportunity to seal the victory.
