It’s that time of the year again! The excitement of the Roland Garros has returned, and fans are ready to witness fast-paced action on the Parisian clay. On Sunday, the second major of the season will officially begin, promising high-octane encounters. Among them, the one to watch out for is going to feature rising American talent Peyton Stearns. The 23-year-old has been in stunning form lately, especially on clay, thanks to her heroics in Rome. But she will face a tough opponent in her opening match – Germany’s Eva Lys. Yes, she’s the same Lucky Loser who went on to impress down under, back in January, at the Australian Open. So, who’s going to advance further in Paris after the R128? Let’s try to find out!

Peyton Stearns vs Eva Lys: Preview

At the beginning of her 2025 season, Peyton Stearns failed to shine as she crashed out in R32 in Brisbane. Then, at Adelaide International, she witnessed a similar fate. Going into the Australian Open, she struggled to create an impact after losing against compatriot Emma Navarro in the first round. But that wasn’t the end of her misery. At the Winners Open, Qatar Open, Dubai, ATX Open, Indian Wells Masters, Miami Open, Charleston Open, and Madrid Open, Stearns was ousted in R16, R32, R16, R32, R128, R64, R32, and R16 respectively.

But then, the 23-year-old finally witnessed a change in fortune earlier this month. At the Italian Open in Rome, she went on to reach the semifinal round. In her morale-boosting campaign, she even beat this season’s Australian Open champion and compatriot Madison Keys, in R32. Stearns missed out on the summit clash, however, after her loss against eventual winner and home-crowd favorite Jasmine Paolini.

Now speaking of her opponent, Germany’s Eva Lys had a dream start to her 2025 season. She entered the Australian Open as a Lucky Loser and, contrary to popular expectations, she delivered a sensational run down under. Lys became the first women’s Lucky Loser to enter the fourth round of the Happy Slam in the Open Era. But guess what? Her performance in subsequent tournaments didn’t really do the talking.

At the Linz Open, Dubai Tennis Championships, and Indian Wells, Lys crashed out in R32, R32, and R64. Momentarily, she did find her form after reaching the QF stage of the Open Internacional Femení Solgironès, a WTA 125 event. But the German soon was met with the losing streak, again. In Stuttgart, Madrid, Rome, and Strasbourg, she couldn’t go past R32, R64, R64, and R32.

Stearns v Lys: Head-to-Head

Both players have never faced each other in a WTA tournament. Currently, the H2H tally stands at 0-0. Sunday’s match will mark their maiden encounter on the professional level.

Prediction: Peyton Stearns to win in straight sets

Peyton Stearns is leading Eva Lys by miles when it comes to their singles stats in 2025. With a stable win percentage of 73.07, the American has clinched victories in 19 of her 26 matches, compared to the German pro (8-9).

Coming into their event history, Stearns has played twice at the Roland Garros so far. But she’s failed to leave a lasting impact. In 2023, she crashed out in R32 (third round) and met with the same fate last season too. On the other hand, Lys made her French Open debut last season, but it wasn’t memorable at all. She was ousted in R128 (first round).

But what about the playing styles of these two WTA pros? Well, Stearns is famously known for her extremely aggressive approach. Especially on the clay surface. Generally, she likes to dominate her rivals from the baseline, utilizing her powerful forehand. She can also come onto the net at times while building extra pressure on her opponents. Speaking of Lys, she prefers an aggressive and offensive style. Also, she likes to dictate rallies using her front foot, backed by her strong groundstrokes.

Taking into consideration the overall form this season, Peyton Stearns looks to be a clear favorite. On Sunday, the American is expected to advance in the second round of the French Open with a straight set win over Eva Lys.