1) Last Tango in Paris? Rafa doesn't think so

Rafael Nadal couldn’t resist a quick-witted response to a cheeky question in the mixed zone – which is where the media and players interact post-match – on Saturday night.

Asked by a Serbian journalist whether he was ready for the “last dance” with Novak Djokovic, Nadal, who was walking away at the time, turned back towards the assembled media and simply said: “Who said it was the last dance”?

2) Jasmine Paolini loves a loud crowd – and she got it

With the roof closed on Court Suzanne Lenglen, there was an intense atmosphere from the start of Jasmine Paolina’s first round match against Romania’s Ana Bogdan and the crowd got more behind Roland Garros and Wimbledon runner-up Paolini the closer she edged to victory.

“I really like to play with the crowd, with the energy,” said the Italian world No. 5. And yeah, I hope it's gonna help me. But I have to focus on myself. So it's great when the crowd is cheering for you, but you know, at the end, you have to go there and fight everybody.”

Paolini, who led Italy to the Billie Jean King Cup Finals last year, thrives flying the flag for her team. “It was a little bit different from the Grand Slams, because it was louder, I think, was more similar to Billie Jean King Cup. But I can understand, because you play for your country.”

3) Ana Bogdan’s loss to Paolini was most emotional she’s had

Romania’s Bogdan described her 7-5 6-3 defeat to Paolini as “the most emotional match that I played in my career so far.” But it wasn’t just losing that made her so.  

“Because of the atmosphere. It was insane. And probably I've met that kind of atmosphere in Billie Jean King Cup matches, but still, this was something else.”

“So I was very excited, but I tried to stay calm and focus on every single point. I think the biggest battle was to try to maintain this calmness and to have a really high level like she did, because she played a great match.”

(and she's also friends with skier Lindsey Vonn)

Bogdan is friends with skiing superstar Lindsey Vonn. The three-time Olympic champion is also in Paris, but they haven’t met up yet. “She's my idol. She's my inspiration, the biggest inspiration, and we've met several times, we text each other and yes, it's just great to have her.”

If they do meet, they might take in some other Olympic sports together. Top of Bogdan’s watch list is track and field and swimming.

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4) Swiatek isn't going to have it all her own way

She might be the Queen of Parisian clay, having won four Roland Garros titles, but Iga Swiatek was forced to battle back from a break down in the second set against Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu before clinching her place in the second round with a 6-2 7-5 win.

Many have Swiatek as the player to beat in women’s singles at Paris 2024, given she hasn’t lost at Roland Garros for the last three years. But the Polish star, who had dropped just three sets in her previous 21 matches at the French Open, came close to going the distance in her opening round clash against the unheralded Begu.

The Romanian, who had the opportunity to serve out the second set at 5-4 up, felt the full force of Swiatek’s mental resolve, however, with the world No. 1 reeling off three games in a row – two against serve – to book her place in round two.

5) Matt Ebden’s singles days are done

After a helpful reminder from his wife, Australia’s Matt Ebden noted he’d never officially retired from singles. The 36-year-old Australian hadn’t played a competitive singles match for two years prior to today but the chance to take a spot in the Olympic men’s singles draw as an alternate – following Holger Rune’s late withdrawal – was too good to turn down.

As it turned out, facing Djokovic allowed him to check off a couple of career milestones – completing his set of playing each of the big four (Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray) in singles, and, after debuting on Philippe Chatrier, playing on all four of the Grand Slam’s biggest stages.

It may have been a one-sided contest, but there was enough of-a-feel-good factor around Chatrier - mexican waves, raucous noise and the absorbing rally - to ensure a memorable end to Ebden's pro singles career.

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And finally...

The legendary Billie Jean King was seen on Court Philippe Chatrier wielding a baton before the Alcaraz-Nadal doubles match on Saturday, and thumping it three times on the clay court. 

She was performing ‘Let Trois Coups’, which translates as ‘three strikes’. This is a French theatrical tradition, dating back to medieval times, in which the stage manager would strike his baton on the ground three times to alert the audience that the play was about to start and that it was time to take their seats.

Adopted by Paris 2024 to mark the start of every competition session across all sports at the Olympics and Paralympics, Les Trois Coups will take place every day on Philippe Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen Courts with special guests invited to do the honours.