Rhys Lawlor will be the only British player to come through qualifying and secure a place in the main draw of the 2026 Roland-Garros Junior Championships. In an edition where just two British players entered the qualifying competition, the 17-year-old successfully navigated a notoriously tricky draw to keep his Paris campaign alive. More importantly, the result underlines the progress of a player who has already caught the eye in recent weeks on the senior circuit, particularly at the M25 Nottingham event where he recorded the best results of his young career.
Rhys Lawlor continues his rise and books his place in Paris
Seeded No. 12 in qualifying, the Brit was handed no favours by the draw. In the opening round, he faced French wildcard Damien Clerc. After dropping the first set 4-6, Lawlor raised his level when it mattered most, fighting back to claim a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory. It was an important win from a mental standpoint, especially considering that in the same section of the draw Australia’s Jake Dembo had just knocked out top qualifying seed Benjamin Azar of Canada in straight sets.
Lawlor then faced Dembo for a place in the main draw and produced an emphatic display, dominating the match from start to finish to record a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory. It was an especially impressive performance given the stakes involved and the momentum his opponent had built following his first-round upset.
The qualification run also highlights the progress Lawlor has been making on the senior ITF circuit. A few weeks ago at the M25 tournament in Nottingham, the young Brit enjoyed the most successful week of his career to date. At just 17 years of age, he first defeated Spain’s Pablo Sanchez 6-4, 6-4 to secure his second senior main-draw victory and a second ATP ranking point. He then went one step further by beating Ali Habib 6-2, 6-7, 6-1, becoming the youngest British player to reach the quarter-finals of an event at that level since Jack Draper. It was a remarkable week that ultimately ended only in the final.
In the girls’ competition, Daniella Britton came agonisingly close to joining Lawlor in the main draw. The Brit began her qualifying campaign in impressive fashion with a solid 6-2, 6-4 win over Brazil’s Pietra Rivoli. In the final qualifying round, she faced Ekaterina Dotsenko, who had previously eliminated eighth seed Wei Zhangqian. Britton made the perfect start by taking the opening set 7-6, winning the tie-break 7-3. However, the match became increasingly difficult physically and mentally, and she eventually suffered a disappointing 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 defeat.
Although British representation at this year’s Roland-Garros Junior Championships will be limited to three players — Hollie Smart and Mark Ceban, who gained direct entry into the main draw, alongside qualifier Rhys Lawlor — recent results at junior level remain highly encouraging. In recent years, Britain has developed impressive depth across its junior ranks. Henry Searle lifted the Wimbledon boys’ title in 2023, Mika Stojsavljevic claimed the 2024 US Open girls’ crown, while Mingge Xu and Charlie Robertson have both reached the semi-finals of a junior Grand Slam over the past two seasons.
Mark Ceban also captured the prestigious Les Petits As title in 2023, while Hannah Klugman finished runner-up in the 2022 edition before going on to win the Orange Bowl and reach the Roland-Garros junior final last year.
First-round draws for the British players
Hollie Smart will begin her campaign against Argentina’s Luna Maria Cinalli, while Mark Ceban faces eighth seed Zangar Nurlanuly of Kazakhstan. In the opposite half of the draw, Rhys Lawlor will take on Japan’s Kanta Watanabe in the opening round.
