Hi there! Welcome back to Crosscourt Slice – where the bounce is sharp and the commentary sharper. Today we’re heading to the women’s draw and spotlighting some of the Black women who made waves at Roland Garros. This is part two of our French Open recap series. Let’s dig into the dirt – and the performances that made it matter.

Alycia Parks Digs Into The Dirt

Alycia Parks doesn’t back down from a big stage – and she didn’t blink in Paris. Ms. Parks took down 14th seed and current World No. 15 Karolina Muchova, who was the Roland Garros finalist in 2023. She took the first set 6-3, employing deft touch, crisp angles, and pinpoint accuracy to keep her Czech opponent off balance. Despite dropping the second set 1-6, Alycia shook off any nerves to recapture momentum in the final set, taking the decider 6-2. Alycia showed poise during her win, but also kept Muchova on her toes, with Ms. Parks even hitting a tweener during the third set.

Not only was this a solid win, but it was Alycia’s first main draw win at Roland Garros. While she did lose her next match to Elsa Jacquemot, she proved to everyone that she has what it takes to beat the best on clay.

Hailey Baptiste Continues The Trend

Like her compatriot Alycia Parks, Hailey Baptiste scored an upset in the first round against a seeded opponent, with her victory over Beatriz Haddad Maia – who was a semifinalist in 2023. Hailey charged through her next two matches in straight sets, setting a fourth round meeting with reigning Australian Open champ Madison Keys.

While she went down in straight sets, Hailey stayed competitive throughout the match. She was striking the ball cleanly, changing the pace, and moved to the net to disrupt the groove that Madison had going. Hailey also managed to hit a contender for shot of the week, in which she curled a beautiful lob over Madison’s head at 2-3, 0-30 in the second set. While she put up a fight, Hailey might rue the two missed break points at 5-6 in the second set, before Madison closed out the match on serve. The final score was 3-6, 5-7 in Madison’s favor.

Robin Montgomery Is Here To Stay

Robin Montgomery may not be a household name yet, but her game is ready for primetime. The 20-year-old lefty from Washington, D.C., picked up her first main draw win at Roland Garros in emphatic fashion, defeating Frenchwoman Diane Parry 6-2, 6-1.

Montgomery’s timing, composure, and shot selection were sharp throughout, and it’s no fluke. Earlier this season, she reached the semifinals in Auckland – a sign that her development arc is trending in the right direction. While her run ended in the second round, Montgomery continues to build her resume, and fans of American tennis should keep her firmly on their radar.

Clay Is Just The Beginning

From Alycia Parks’ flair and fearlessness, to Hailey Baptiste’s powerful breakthrough, to Robin Montgomery’s steady rise, the Black women of the WTA made their presence known in Paris. As we wrap our Roland Garros recap series, it’s clear that the next generation isn’t just knocking on the door – they’re breaking it down. We have more French Open recaps coming soon, and then we’ll move on to our Wimbledon coverage. With all that said, I’ll see you across the net!