With the main race of Roland Garros scheduled to begin on Sunday, all eyes are on one man.
With Carlos Alcaraz out with a wrist injury, Yannick Ciner won his first French Open title and is the favorite to complete a career Grand Slam, months after Alcaraz accomplished the same at the Australian Open.
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It would be a tremendous feat, but it’s more than that for the Italian. Thanks to an unprecedented streak of six consecutive Masters 1000 titles, Sinner will join Novak Djokovic as the only male players to have won every Grand Slam, every Masters 1000 and every major annual title, meaning the year-end final.
Djokovic completed that set at age 31. At 24 years old, Sinner is just a tournament away from accomplishing that. That’s ridiculous.
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However, the sinner’s victory is not certain. There are some interesting names in the Roland Garros draw, so let’s take a look at the 12 names to watch at the 2026 French Open. But of course, we’ll start with Sinner.
Clearly an overwhelming favorite
1. Jannik Sinner
Seed: 1, Title Odds: -325
2025 French Open result: F, lost to Carlos Alcaraz
2026 clay match results: W Monte Carlo, W Madrid, W Roma
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what is he playing for: See above
why does he win: Alcaraz’s absence from this tournament is looming, but one thing I want to make clear is that Alcaraz was not a favorite to win Roland Garros when he announced his absence.
I could go on and on about how Sinner has improved this year, especially his serve, which is already an unfair combination with his all-time baseline game, but I’ll summarize it with Tennis Abstract data.
In 2026, he held 94.2% of his service games. That’s better than John Isner (93.8%) in 2018, the best season of the legendary server’s career.
In 2026, he beat his opponents in 31.8% of his return games. That’s better than Rafael Nadal (29.3%) in 2010, perhaps the best season of the legendary returner’s career.
In 2026, he won 89.8% of all sets, which is better than Novak Djokovic, who had the best seasons in tennis history in 2011 (81.4%) and 2015 (84.1%).
Granted, not having to face Alcaraz in the past two tournaments likely contributed to that number, but no one should think that what Sinner is doing now is anything special.
why can’t he win:The only answer at this point is physical and mental fatigue from playing the most matches in five consecutive Masters 1000 tournaments.
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It’s not for nothing, as we saw in the semi-final in Rome. Sinner had little trouble in the first set, but seemed to fall apart in the second. He limped visibly between points, at one point flipped over as if he was about to vomit, and looked visibly distressed on the bench during the changeover.
Of course, he then regained control with an early break in the third set, eventually defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 the day after the rain stoppage.
other big candidates
2. Alexander Zverev
Seed: 2, Title Odds: +1000
2025 French Open result: QF, defeated by Novak Djokovic
2026 clay match results: SF Monte Carlo, SF Munich, F Madrid, R16 Roma
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what is he playing for: No longer the best male player who has never won a Grand Slam
why does he win: Well, his favorite surface is clay, where he has reached the semi-finals or better in six of the last seven major tournaments. Other than Cincaraz, no other player has been so consistent in form from tournament to tournament, and he came close to making a spectacular comeback against Alcaraz in the Australian Open semifinals (though, of course, Alcaraz’s cramps helped).
Zverev has made it clear that he does not enjoy the title of “greatest to win or not to win at a Grand Slam” and believes he can throw it away.
why can’t he win: Ideally, when choosing a player to win a Grand Slam, that player should have won a tennis tournament at some point in the past year. Zverev hasn’t won a final since Munich in 2025. He’s progressed to the later rounds consistently enough to maintain his No. 3 spot in the world, but there was little reason in the tennis world to think he was ready to break through the big hurdles at 29 years old.
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Zverev’s performance against Sinner is particularly concerning. With Alcaraz out of the tournament, all players have an opportunity, but Sinner in particular has terrorized Zverev, winning nine straight against Zverev starting in 2024. His last match was a total loss in Rome (Zverev won 46% of his service points and 18% of his return points).
It’s very simple. All the things Zverev is good at (e.g. serve speed, building advantage off his backhand), Sinner may be the best in the world at nullification.
3. Novak Djokovic
Seed: 3, Title Odds: +1200
2025 French Open result: SF loses to Jannik Sinner
2026 Clay Match Results: R64 Roma
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what is he playing for: Unprecedented 25th Grand Slam singles title
why does he win: No matter how old he is, you pay attention when the 24-time Grand Slam winner is on the field. Djokovic, 38, reached the Australian Open final just a few months ago, overwhelming Sinner along the way.
Also, no one may benefit more from having either Sinner or Alcaraz on the field. Beating both in one tournament is an unenviable task, as Djokovic learned when he lost to Alcaraz in the Melbourne final. There’s only one guy he needs to beat now, and that’s the same guy who beat him in last year’s semifinals.
why can’t he win: Just as it is a concern that Zverev has not won a tournament in the past 12 months, it is also a concern that Djokovic has not won on clay since the Roland Garros quarter-finals last year.
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Djokovic, 38, has been selective about the tournaments he plays in, and a shoulder injury kept him out of the clay season until Rome, where he lost in his first match to qualifier Dino Prismic. After the defeat, he admitted that he was still “half a step” short. His chances of winning at Roland Garros will likely depend on him regaining that step in the following weeks.
Other big names
4. Casper Rude
Seed: 15, Title Odds: +2000
2025 French Open result: 2R, lost to Nuno Borges
2026 clay match results: R16 Monte Carlo (retired), QF Madrid, F Roma, TBD Geneva
What you need to know: The Norwegian was a finalist at Roland Garros in 2022 and 2023, so we will keep an eye on him. However, he has not won more than the fourth round in the two tournaments since then (he reached the semifinals in 2024 with a bye against Djokovic).
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The former ATP No. 2 star has faded into obscurity during his time at Sincaraz, but he just reached the final in Rome and could be one of the more consistent names in the draw.
5. Daniil Medvedev
Seed: 6, Title Odds: +4000,
2025 French Open result: 1R, lost to Cameron Norrie
2026 clay match results: R32 Monte Carlo, R16 Madrid, SF Roma
What you need to know: In his first clay match of 2026, Medejev spiked his racket seven times in a row en route to losing 6-0, 6-0 to Matteo Berrettini, resulting in the first double-Bager ring of his career.
In a recent clay match, Medvedev forced Jannik Sinner into a third set, his first opponent in 10 matches, and in that match, the ATP No. 1 Sinner looked a bit distressed.
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So we’re not quite sure what to make of the former U.S. Open champion. Clay was never his best surface, but it’s hard to completely ignore him on a field like this.
6. Ben Shelton
Seed: 5, Title Odds: +12500
2025 French Open result: 4th round, lost to Carlos Alcaraz
2026 clay match results: W Houston, W Munich, R64 Madrid, R64 Roma, R16 Hamburg
What you need to know: The top-ranked American doesn’t exactly have a game built for clay, but with his victory in Munich he became the first American player to win a .500-point title on clay since Andre Agassi in 2002.
Of course, he bounced in the first of the next two tournaments and is being treated as a longshot at best by oddsmakers. Shelton is a big server in a tournament that historically puts big servers at the bottom, and it’s up to him to show that he’s an exception.
Arthur Fils is on the rise and should attract a lot of attention on his home clay. (Photo by Sylvia Lore/Getty Images)
(Sylvia Lore, via Getty Images)
young guns
7. Arthur Son
Seed: 17, Title Odds: +2000
2025 French Open result: 3rd round, withdrawn due to lower back injury
2026 clay match results: W Barcelona, SF Madrid, R64 Roma (retired)
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What you need to know: And the award for the tournament’s most underseeded player goes to Fils, who has performed like a top-five player since finally returning in February from a long-term lower back injury that first appeared at Roland Garros last year. Only Sinner, Alcaraz and Zverev have accumulated more ranking points since the Australian Open.
Of course, there is pressure to be the top Frenchman in the field at Roland Garros. Yannick Noah is the only French player to win a Grand Slam in the Open era, having won in Paris in 1983, and the whole country is keen to have someone join him at the club. The Phils and his overwhelming power may be the best chance they’ve had in years.
It’s also worth noting that Fils was forced to leave Roma after four games due to lower back pain, but explained after the game that it was a precautionary measure.
8. Rafael Jodal
Seed: 27, Title Odds: +2200
2025 French Open Results: Not eligible
2026 clay match results: W Marrakech, SF, Barcelona, QF Madrid, QF Roma
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What you need to know: I’ll refrain from making simple jokes. Historically, a 19-year-old Spaniard named Rafael with great strength has performed very well at Roland Garros.
The young Spaniard’s mere presence on clay would draw comparisons to Rafael Nadal, but Jodal has fared better than any other measuring stick. He heads into Paris on a high note following wins over Fonseca and top-10 player Alex de Minaur in Madrid.
9. Joan Fonseca
Seed: 28, Title Odds: +5000
2025 French Open result: 3rd round, lost to Jack Draper 2026 clay match results: QF Monte Carlo, QF Munich, R32 Madrid, R64 Roma
What you need to know: We are in the second year of Fonseca, which is being touted by some as the next big thing. Although he seemed to be moving somewhat closer to a fully realized game built around a huge forehand, some of his recent performances have been disappointing, most of all missing the tune-up event in Hamburg due to “some discomfort in (his) right wrist.”
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Still, the Brazilian will draw fans at Roland Garros and remains a player to keep an eye on.
a man who appeared out of nowhere
10.Valentin Vacherot
Seed: 16, Title Odds: +20000,
2025 French Open Results: Not eligible
2026 clay match results: SF Monte Carlo, R64 Madrid
What you need to know: One of the most outlandish stories in tennis in recent months has been the rise of Vacherot, who failed to qualify for last year’s Roland Garros at the age of 26. And now he is participating in this year’s tournament as a seeded player.
what happened? The Monaco native and former Texas A&M star won as the No. 204 player in the world in Shanghai, becoming the lowest-ranked player to win 1,000 events, including a straight-sets victory over restricted Djokovic. He has never won a title or even reached a final since then, but with wins over Alex de Minaur, Hubert Hurkas and Lorenzo Musetti in his home tournament in Monte Carlo, it could be a fun match, at least in Paris.
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last dance
11. Stan Wawrinka
Seed: None, Title Odds: +40000
2025 French Open result: 1R, lost to Jacob Fearnley
2026 clay match results: R64 Monte Carlo, R32 Barcelona, R16 Geneva
The draw did not bode well for the 2015 Roland Garros champion, who will face Fils in the first round, his final appearance. The environment for that match will be interesting, with Fils the -800 favorite to win. This is because the popular champion will be facing off against a rising star who carries the hopes of the host country.
12. Gael Monfils
Seed: None, Title Odds: +40000
2025 French Open result: 2R, lost to Jack Draper
2026 clay results: R32 Monte Carlo, R128 Madrid
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One of tennis’ greatest showmen will play his final performance at Roland Garros against compatriot Hugo Gastón in the first round, with 25th seed Francisco Cerundro likely to be on hand for the second round. If there’s one couple to watch in Paris this month, it’s Monfils and his wife Elina Svitolina, who beat Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff in Rome.
