It’s rare to see history repeat itself, but with the French Open underway, the tennis world is buzzing. On Monday, unseeded Jessica Bouzas Maneiro stunned everyone by defeating No. 9 seed Emma Navarro in a thrilling two-set match that left jaws on the floor. With this win, Jessica joins an elite group alongside legends like Serena Williams and Steffi Graf. But how did she do it?

The 2024 US Open semifinalist lasted just 57 minutes at Roland Garros, falling 6-0, 6-1 to Jessica in the first round. This is a major setback for the 24-year-old New Yorker, who reached the fourth round in Paris last year before her breakthrough semifinal at Flushing Meadows. Navarro had a strong start to 2025, including a quarterfinal at the Australian Open and a WTA 500 title, but clay has been a struggle this spring.

Jessica’s win brings to mind two other remarkable moments at the French Open. Serena Williams‘ commanding 6-0, 6-1 semi-final victory over Sara Errani in the 2013 French Open. That match, lasting just 46 minutes, showcased Serena’s overwhelming power in dismantling the previous year’s finalist.

Similarly, Steffi Graf delivered an emphatic performance against Natasha Zvereva in the 1988 French Open finals, winning 6-0, 6-0. This dominant display by Graf, known for her powerful forehand and relentless athleticism, highlighted her superiority on clay.

However, for the 22-year-old, taking down Navaarro is a bigger deal due to their ranking. Bouzas Maneiro is ranked much lower than the American—world number 68—and had never before won a main draw match at Roland Garros.

On the flip side, Navarro’s loss ties her with Anna Chakvetadze (No. 6 seed, 2008 Australian Open) and Monica Seles (No. 4 seed, 2001 Australian Open) for the fewest games won in a first-round Grand Slam loss by a top-10 seed, according to ESPN research.

But Emma isn’t walking away empty handed. Despite the defeat, Navarro will take home €78,000 ($87,583) and about 10 points from this tournament. Although, for Jessica, this is a huge breakthrough. How does the young starlet feel about this feat?

Jessica on defeating Emma Navarro in the first round

Bouzas Maneiro’s season has been a mixed bag, with a 13-13 record so far. Her best showing before the French Open was a quarterfinal run at the Morocco Open. But after toppling Emma Navarro, she couldn’t hide her excitement.

Speaking in her post-match interview, she said, “Right now I just feel really happy how I played today, how I was handling pressure and nerves for the first round here. Last year was tough for me and I wanted to do my best, and I think I did it, so happy for that. Just think that everything is possible, I try to play my best every match. I have my team here, I knew that I have a lot of support and we prepared as well for the match as we could. Of course, I didn’t expect this score, this result. But yeah, I’m happy.”

Last year, the 22-year-old Spaniard exited Roland Garros early, losing a three-set battle to Croatia’s Jana Fett in the first round. But she bounced back with stronger runs at Wimbledon and the US Open, reaching the third round in both. She also made it to the second round at the Australian Open earlier this year. Maneiro boasts one singles title on the WTA Challenger Tour and has reached a career-high ranking of No. 52.

After her shock win over a seeded player, Jessica shared a light moment: “It’s funny because my team just told me, ‘Is it possible to win a match in two sets?’ because my last matches were all three sets … and I was like, ‘I’ll try.’ So this one is for you guys, one hour.” That’s the kind of confidence and humor that makes her stand out.

Next up, Bouzas Maneiro faces Robin Montgomery on Wednesday, May 28. Will she pull off another upset and go deep at Roland Garros? We can’t wait to find out! Share your thoughts in the comments below!