The 2026 French Open has eliminated nearly every top seed and defending champion, guaranteeing maiden Grand Slam winners in both the men's and women's singles draws. The exits of defending champion Coco Gauff, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, women's world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Novak Djokovic, and defending men's champion Carlos Alcaraz (who withdrew before the tournament with a wrist injury) have left Roland Garros without its usual cast of dominant figures.
Why has the draw collapsed so dramatically?
The Paris clay proved unforgiving for the favourites. Sinner, who arrived with a 30-match winning streak, fell in the second round to Juan Manuel Cerundolo after leading two sets to one. Djokovic, 39, was eliminated in the third round by 19-year-old Joao Fonseca of Brazil, also after taking a two-set lead. On the women's side, Gauff lost in the third round, four-time Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek was knocked out without her customary deep run, and Sabalenka fell to Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals.
Who remains in contention?
Twenty-four-year-old Maja Chwalińska will face 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva in the women's singles final on Saturday, with both contesting their first Grand Slam final. The men's semi-finals conclude with Alexander Zverev, Jakub Mensik, Flavio Cobolli, and Matteo Arnaldi all vying for a chance to become first-time Grand Slam champions. Second seed Zverev, who has three Grand Slam singles final appearances, is considered the men's favourite.
What does the upheaval mean for the sport?
Former champion Martina Navratilova told OutKick that the chaos has made this year's French Open fascinating heading into championship weekend. "It's kind of a changing of the guard, but there's just a lot more players that can win these days," she said, adding that tennis benefits from unpredictability. The tournament represents a departure from decades of dominance by a small number of stars, with neither Alcaraz nor Sinner present to defend their positions at the top of the men's game.
The men's final is scheduled for Sunday.
Sources
- EWN: Shock exits and breakthroughs: All to play for at Roland Garros. Published 2026-06-06.
- OutKick: Martina Navratilova says wide-open French Open is good for tennis: 'You need suspense'. Published 2026-06-06.
- Hindustan Times: Pandemonium in Paris: French Open staring at first-time champions in both draws. Published 2026-06-04.
Reported from public sources.