Paris, France, 30 May 2025 | Vivienne Christie

If Daria Kasatkina is feeling any pressure in her first Grand Slam representing Australia, the world No.17 isn’t showing it in her 10th main-draw campaign at Roland Garros.

After a gritty three-set win over Katerina Siniakova in the opening round, Kasastkina claimed a 6-4 6-2 victory over French wildcard Leolia Jeanjean on Thursday.

It sees the 28-year-old Kasatkina, who achieved her best Grand Slam result at a Roland Garros semifinalist in 2022, through to the third round of the claycourt major for the seventh time in her career.

Roland Garros 2025 marks Kasatkina’s fifth tournament competing as an Australian, having first done so at Charleston in March.

And while she admits there was some added stress when she took to the court in Paris this year, the smiling Kasatkina was quick to add that it was a “good stress”.

“When there are changes in your life and changes like this (switching nationality), they are not small,” she explained after her first-round win. “It’s normal to feel like that.”

There were few signs of nerves as the No.17 seed deftly managed Jeanjean in her latest match, Kasatkina recording 24 winners in her one-hour, 39-minute win.

> RELATED: Popyrin gathering steam with latest run in Paris

It showcased the creative style of play that has made the 28-year-old a fan favourite and helped her achieve a top-10 ranking in a career-best 2022 season.

“I don’t have a huge strong body like some of the girls, some of the players. So I have to win with something else. It has to be my brain or my legs or whatever,” Kasatkina told Stan Sport of the variety she loves to utilise on court.

“Sometimes I come up with some unusual stuff on court and sometimes [even] me, I don’t know what [shot] I’m going to play.”

Kasatkina will next aim to maximise that variety in a high-profile third round against Paula Badosa, the No.10 seed and an Australian Open 2025 semifinalist.

“Dasha” does so with support from an appreciative crowd.

“During the matches I can hear from the crowd like people screaming, ‘let’s go Aussie!’ and the ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie oi oi oi’ and this kind of stuff,” she said of a warm reception at Roland Garros.

“So that’s pretty nice and super important to me to be welcomed … to get all this support.”

It provides added incentive after a life-changing period of her career.

“[I] couldn’t believe that one day I could call myself an Australian,” Kasatkina beamed earlier this week.

“You never know where life will bring you.”

De Minaur, Walton bow out

It was a tougher day for other Australian players at Roland Garros, with the ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur suffering a surprise loss to Alexander Bublik and Adam Walton exiting to No.17 seed Andrey Rublev.

De Minaur led by two sets against the flashy Bublik and conceded fatigue was a factor as the Kazakhstani fought back to claim a 2-6 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-2 victory.

Walton was unable to match the feats of claiming the first five-set win of his career – against Germany’s Maximilan Marterer – in the opening round, with Rublev emerging a 7-6(1) 6-1 7-6(5) winner.

AUSSIES IN ACTION

Women’s singles, second round
[17] Daria Kasatkina (AUS) d [WC] Leolia Jeanjean (FRA) 6-4 6-2

Men’s singles, second round
Alexander Bublik (KAZ) d [9] Alex de Minaur (AUS) 2-6 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-2
[17] Andrey Rublev d Adam Walton (AUS) 7-6(1) 6-1 7-6(5)

COMING UP  

Men’s singles, third round
[25] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v Nuno Borges (POR)

Women’s singles, third round
[17] Daria Kasatkina (AUS) v Paula Badosa (ESP)