Preview and Schedule ATP Roland Garros 2025 Day Nine: Sinner vs. Rublev headlines, Djokovic and Draper also in action

The French Open organization has revealed the Day Nine schedule, packed with high-level ATP draw matchups. Players are looking to start the second week of the tournament strongly, with their sights set on the quarterfinals. Our preview reviews the clashes that will steal the spotlight, with Jannik Sinner versus Andrey Rublev as the stellar night match.

They won't be the only big names; the 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic will also return to the court, alongside world No. 3 Alexander Zverev and world No. 5 Jack Draper. Each of them will have to prove their favoritism against several unexpected opponents at this stage of the tournament.

With the day starting with women's matches, the third slot of the day will feature world No. 6 Novak Djokovic, who is on a seven-match winning streak and has made a good impression in his quest for another major title. The Serb won the Geneva Open last week and remains without dropping a set at Roland Garros. However, he has yet to face a top-tier opponent, not having played anyone from the top-70 so far.

While Norrie has had a hesitant last year with several injuries, the world No. 81 knows what it's like to reach advanced rounds in major tournaments. Just last week, he pushed Djokovic to a third set in the Geneva Open semifinals, and this week he eliminated 11th seed Daniil Medvedev in a five-set battle. The Brit gained momentum in the subsequent rounds without dropping a set, but against Djokovic, the task will be much greater. The head-to-head currently favors Nole 5-0, though the former world No. 9 will have something to say a week after giving Djokovic a good fight.

The return to the court of Jannik Sinner (No. 1) will be the highlight of the day, especially after an impressive performance against Jiří Lehečka. The Italian conceded only three games in his last match and has not dropped a set so far in the tournament. With an 8-1 record since returning to the courts (post a 3-month suspension), he will be the favorite against Andrey Rublev (No. 17), who knows how to trouble the Italian. In fact, he defeated him a year ago at the Canadian Open, being one of only four players to beat Sinner since the start of 2024.

Rublev advanced due to Arthur Fils' withdrawal in the third round and set up the clash with Sinner. He is seeking his 11th appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal, though facing the world No. 1 will be a titanic task. Both know each other well, with a head-to-head of 6-3 favoring the three-time Grand Slam champion. Rublev, a former Madrid Open champion, is one of the few names who knows he can surprise Sinner, even though his last few months haven't been his best. He has already guaranteed at least a return to the top-15 after the tournament.

The third seed had left doubts about his form in recent months. He won the Munich Open title in mid-April and has since found some consistency, though still not fully convincing. Nevertheless, he always finds motivation at Roland Garros and has not suffered too much to reach the fourth round. The 2024 finalist will be a heavy favorite against Griekspoor (No. 35), especially considering that the Dutchman has never felt entirely comfortable on clay courts.

The world No. 35 defeated Zverev in March of this year at Indian Wells, but couldn't beat him in Munich in April (record 0-2 on clay courts against 'Sascha'). He won a tight third-round match against Ethan Quinn, coming from two sets to one down. He's a player who has no problem playing long matches and will surely be able to put pressure on Zverev from the return, with 16 breaks in his favor so far in the tournament.

The world No. 5 is in inspired form, with a 25-6 record this season and a notable clay swing. In the third round, he eliminated 18-year-old star João Fonseca (6-2, 6-4, 6-2) in a masterful performance that gives him reason to dream of competing for the title. He will be a strong favorite against Alexander Bublik – a player who has always openly admitted his dislike for playing on clay.

The Kazakh, for his part, probably wouldn't have expected to still be in contention in the second week of the French Open. In the second round, he turned around an impressive match against Alex de Minaur, where he was down 2-6, 2-6, but ended up pulling off one of the tournament's great comebacks, defeating him in five sets. Bublik won his third-round match against Henrique Rocha and – likely without great expectations – can be a dangerous opponent for the Brit.