Roland Garros 2026: Preston leads Day 1 qualifying pursuit

Taylah Preston is one of five Australians in Roland Garros qualifying action on Monday, with all aiming to join the 13-strong main-draw contingent.


Monday 18 May 2026
Jackson Mansell
Paris, France
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 22: Taylah Preston of Australia plays a forehand against Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic in the Women's Singles Second Round during day five of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 22, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Five Australians will kickstart their Roland Garros qualifying campaigns on Monday evening (AEST) for a chance to compete in the main draw of the claycourt major.

Seeded Aussies Taylah Preston, Dane Sweeny and Alex Bolt lead the charge, while Chris O’Connell and Bernard Tomic will also be in action. Tristan Schoolkate, Priscilla Hon, Maddison Inglis, Storm Hunter, James McCabe and Tahlia Kokkinis will compete on Tuesday. 

 

After a successful Asian hardcourt swing, winning the biggest singles title of her career – an ITF W100 crown in Tokyo – Preston will target her first Roland Garros main draw berth.

> Roland Garros 2026 Order of Play

Following a coaching change towards the end of 2025, Preston has won 24 matches this year, highlighting one of the best starts to a season of her career.

    

She will hope to continue that form when she opens play on Court 11 against Japan’s Mai Hontama, whom she defeated in the Tokyo semifinals.

> Roland Garros 2026 women's qualifying singles draw

Sweeny will also carry form into the French Slam, most recently reaching the quarterfinals of the Wuxi Challenger in China.

Seeded in Grand Slam qualifying for the first time in his career, Sweeny is up against Brit Jay Clarke in his first-round match. The 23rd seed aims to qualify for his first overseas major.

> Roland Garros 2026 men's qualifying singles draw

Meanwhile, with a maiden ATP claycourt win to his name in Houston, Bolt will hope to boost that confidence with a victory over Austrian Lukas Neumayer.

In other matches on Day 1, O’Connell will battle Argentinian Facundo Diaz Acosta, while Tomic will begin the road to his first Roland Garros main-draw campaign since 2019 in his match against 28th seed Moez Echargui.

AUSSIES IN ACTION

COMING UP – ROLAND GARROS 2026 QUALIFYING DAY 1

Women’s qualifying singles, first round

[19] Taylah Preston (AUS) v Mai Hontama (JPN) – First match, Court 11 (from 6PM AEST)

Men’s qualifying singles, first round

Chris O’Connell (AUS) v Facundo Diaz Acosta (ARG) – Second match, Court 8

[23] Dane Sweeny (AUS) v Jay Clarke (GBR) – Second match, Court 9

Bernard Tomic (AUS) v [28] Moez Echargui (TUN) – Fourth match, Court 3

[26] Alex Bolt (AUS) v Lukas Neumayer (AUT) – Fourth match, Court 4