This year's French Open will crown first-time Grand Slam champions in both the men's and women's singles draws after a series of major upsets cleared the field of its top seeds. The early exits of tournament favourites have created an unpredictable championship weekend at Roland-Garros, according to multiple reports. The results signal a wide-open conclusion to the second major of the tennis season.
Who were the biggest upsets in the men's draw?
Novak Djokovic and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner were both eliminated early in the tournament. Djokovic lost in the third round to Joao Fonseca after holding a two-set lead, a rare occurrence for the 24-time Grand Slam champion, as reported by Chase Your Sport. Sinner, meanwhile, retired from his second-round match against Juan Maniel due to heatstroke, according to the same source. The departures of these top players, along with an injury-related withdrawal by Carlos Alcaraz before the tournament, left the draw without its most familiar contenders, OutKick noted.
Who is left in the men's singles?
The men's semi-finals feature Alexander Zverev, Jakub Mensik, Flavio Cobolli, and Matteo Arnaldi. Zverev, the second seed, is the only player with previous Grand Slam final experience, making him the favourite among the remaining players, according to EWN. Mensik, a 20-year-old from the Czech Republic, ended the run of Brazil's Joao Fonseca, who had earlier defeated Djokovic, as noted by the Asian Tennis Federation. The presence of both Cobolli and Arnaldi highlights Italy's growing depth in men's tennis.
What was the major story in the women's draw?
Poland's Maja Chwalinska, ranked No. 114 in the world, advanced through three rounds of qualifying to reach the women's singles final. Her surprising run included victories over top-10 players Maria Sakkari and Elise Mertens, according to Chase Your Sport. As a result of her performance, Chwalinska is projected to climb 93 spots to No. 21 in the world rankings. She will face 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva in the final, as reported by EWN.
What does this mean for the tour?
The surprising results at Roland-Garros ensure new champions will be crowned at a Grand Slam, which former player Martina Navratilova described as "good for tennis," in an interview with OutKick. The wide-open nature of the tournament, with so many top seeds eliminated, created suspense and opened the door for a new group of players to make their mark. For Canadian tennis fans, the shakeup at the top of the game creates an unpredictable landscape heading into the grass court season and Wimbledon.
Sources
- Chase Your Sport: Top 5 Most Shocking Moments of French Open 2026. Reporter name not specified, publication date (2026-06-08).
- Asian Tennis Federation: A Roland Garros that refused to follow the script. Reporter name not specified, publication date (2026-06-08).
- EWN: Shock exits and breakthroughs: All to play for at Roland Garros. Reporter name not specified, publication date (2026-06-06).
- OutKick: Martina Navratilova says wide-open French Open is good for tennis: ‘You need suspense’. Reporter name not specified, publication date (2026-06-06).
Reported from public sources.