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Daily Dose of Social Media: Swiatek, Alcaraz & Paolini turn Roland Garros into football pitch

Originally posted on TennisUpToDate.com | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 6:44 PM ET

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, the day was marked by football, with the presentation of the Champions League trophy on Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros. Additionally, Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jasmine Paolini were caught playing football during the day as they prepared for their upcoming matches in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka enjoyed a day off strolling through the streets of Paris, while Mirra Andreeva found her good luck charm this time in relaxing with puppies before facing Daria Kasatkina and securing her spot in the quarterfinals.

Puppy Power? Mirra Andreeva finds joy and luck with four-legged friends

Mirra Andreeva is having a fantastic time at Roland Garros – not just on the court, but off it too! The teenager was spotted with some adorable puppies at the Roland Garros venue, playing with one to relax. The world No. 6 has often spoken about her desire to have a puppy, something she hasn't been able to do yet due to the demands of the Tour and constant travel, which have forced her to postpone it multiple times.

Perhaps it was a good luck charm for Andreeva, who has been on a great run at the French Open, reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament. The Russian defeated her friend Daria Kasatkina in the fourth round, taking revenge for the Ningbo final they played at the end of 2024, which "Dasha" won. Andreeva is now just one match away from replicating her 2024 result where she reached the semifinals, and she will face an unfamiliar opponent: the tournament's surprise, local wildcard Lois Boisson, who, ranked world No. 361, managed to break into the top 8 of the tournament, leaving none other than Jessica Pegula (No. 3) in her wake.

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Iga Swiatek's unique football training session

Iga Swiatek had a day of training and rest before her quarterfinal match this Tuesday. The three-time defending champion survived a grueling encounter against Elena Rybakina, where she had to overcome a 1-6, 0-2 deficit to ultimately secure a hard-fought three-set victory. The Pole spent the day with her team, and one of her exercises was none other than playing football in a confined space on the tennis court. Swiatek has regularly used footballs in her training sessions, working on her coordination while also having fun with the rest of her team.

The world No. 5 has achieved a 25-match winning streak at Roland Garros and is heading into the quarterfinals against Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. The 13th seed overcame a couple of match points against Jasmine Paolini (No. 4) and advanced to the Roland Garros quarterfinals for the 5th time in her career. She will be looking to surprise Swiatek, against whom the head-to-head is currently 3-1 in favor of the Pole.

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Alcaraz joins Paolini & Errani for locker room soccer fun

Carlos Alcaraz also enjoyed playing with a football, joining the Italian duo of Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani in the locker room. They were seen dribbling the ball and passing it to each other, trying to score into a trash can. During the fun game, the colleagues shared laughs alongside members of their respective teams in the Roland Garros locker rooms.

Alcaraz remains in singles contention and will play his quarterfinal match this Tuesday against Tommy Paul. Paolini, however, was eliminated from the singles draw by Svitolina. Nevertheless, in the doubles draw, the pair of Errani/Paolini are still in the running and have already secured their spot in the quarterfinals. They are on an 8-match winning streak as a duo – after claiming the Rome Open title for the second consecutive year – and will face 6th seeds Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens this Tuesday.

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Champions League trophy graces Roland Garros Court

The Champions League trophy made a special appearance on Court Philippe Chatrier, with Ousmane Dembélé presenting the esteemed prize to the crowd at the start of the day. The Paris Saint-Germain forward was a key player in their historic 5-0 victory over Inter Milan, which secured the Parisian team's first-ever Champions League title. Their home stadium, Parc des Princes, is located just a couple of kilometers from Roland Garros.

The Parisian public was highly invested in the Champions League final a couple of days prior. During Novak Djokovic's match, the play was repeatedly interrupted by cheers celebrating goals, which resonated widely in the stands. Similarly, these past few days have seen widespread celebrations in the streets of Paris, particularly in the vicinity of Stade Roland Garros.

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Sabalenka enjoys Paris day off

Aryna Sabalenka shared glimpses of her day off in Paris, where she enjoyed a stroll with her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis and members of her team. The world No. 1 is making the most of her free time as she prepares to return to the court this Tuesday for a tough French Open quarterfinal challenge against China's Zheng Qinwen.

Until recently, Sabalenka had a clear dominance over Zheng with a 6-0 head-to-head record. However, the Chinese player got her revenge a couple of weeks ago at the Rome Open, in what was their only clay-court encounter. Zheng is currently on a 10-match winning streak at the Roland Garros venues, including her gold medal win at the 2024 Olympic Games, making this an especially complicated occasion to face Zheng.