Robin Montgomery is not leaving Paris early.
The 20-year-old American, who is appearing in her first-ever French Open main draw, secured her place in the second round by sending home-hero Diane Parry home with a 6-2, 6-1 win on Monday.
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Montgomery dominated during the contest, winning five of her seven break points, dropping just three games and serving down five aces in her win.
It’s a victory she’ll hope she can use to elevate her status at Roland Garros as as she continues to climb up the rankings.
The US sensation is ranked 115 in the world and made her debut five years ago as a 15-year-old at the US Open. Since then she’s amassed over a million dollars in prize money.
Montgomery is well known within the American tennis scene, catching the eye when she won the US Open junior singles title in 2021.
She followed that victory up a few hours later with the junior doubles title when she and partner Ashlyn Krueger defeated Reese Brantmeier and Elvina Kalieva in three sets.
It meant she became the first person to win both titles in New York since Michaëlla Krajicek in 2004.
Montgomery first began to make some noise on the professional tour in 2023.
She was able to qualify for the Austin Open early that year and also earned her first WTA 1000 win when she defeated Ana Bogdan.
In 2024, she faced her toughest challenge yet and one that she still remembers to this day.
It was Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the Miami Open.
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It took Sabalenka two-and-a-half hours to beat Montgomery, edging her in a 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-4 victory and one that demonstrated to the then-teen where her level is at.
“It was a very close match, and it kind of opened my eyes a little bit of where my level is and what I can actually do,” Montgomery told Clay Tennis.
“I was pretty p*****!! Knowing that I was that close and it was just a few shots here and there that cost me the match… didn’t feel great.”
She even admitted to crying after that loss as she described how devastating it was.
“I was crying! I called my childhood coach and he was like ‘relax’ and I’m like ‘no, screw this’. But yeah, it was a stinger, but it does happen for a reason,” she added.
Montgomery is also friends with fellow American tennis star, Coco Gauff, saying she’s known the 2023 US Open winner for a long-time.
“We are friends! When we see each other at tournaments we talk, we go out to dinner, that’s pretty much it, but I’d say we’re friends,” she said.
“We grew up together, both chasing similar goals since young. I’ve known her since I was 9, we had our first USTA camp together, so we’ve known each other for a long time.”
Montgomery will be focused on forging her own path in tennis, and the French Open gives her that chance.
The added bonus is that it’s on a surface she enjoys playing on.
“I do have good results on clay. So I probably enjoy it and play better than most American players on clay.” Montgomery said.
Up next for her is Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who recently dismantled World No.9 and fellow American Emma Navarro.
