Men's and women's top seeds Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the second round of the 2026 French Open on Tuesday, while sixth seed Daniil Medvedev suffered a shock opening-round exit. The results underscored the unpredictability of Grand Slam tennis, where form and seeding offer no guarantee of progression.
How did Sinner perform in his opening match?
Sinner defeated French wildcard Clément Tabur 6-1, 6-3, 6-4, extending his winning streak to 30 matches. The Italian played a dominant first-round performance and benefited from a night-session slot at Roland-Garros. Sinner was the top favourite for the title after defending champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew due to injury.
What happened to Medvedev?
Medvedev lost to Australian wildcard Adam Walton 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 in a chaotic five-set contest. The Russian acknowledged the difficulty of the opening round and suggested he might consider playing a preparatory tournament before future Grand Slams, a departure from his usual schedule. Medvedev told the press conference that first rounds tend to be tougher for him at Roland-Garros than at other majors.
Who else made headlines in the early rounds?
Seventeen-year-old French wildcard Moise Kouame defeated former US Open champion Marin Cilic 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-1, electrifying the home crowd. Kouame became the youngest male player to win a main-draw match at Roland-Garros since 1991. The second round is scheduled to continue in the coming days.
Sources
- Xinhua: Roundup: Sinner, Sabalenka progress at French Open as Medvedev, Pegula crash out. 2026-05-27.
Reported from public sources.