With Sinner and Djokovic gone and Alcaraz absent, the 2026 French Open is guaranteed to crown its first new men’s champion since 2021. Here’s who can actually win it.
One moment, Jannik Sinner is the overwhelming favorite; a 29-match winning streak, a newly completed Career Golden Masters, and the hunger to finally claim the one Grand Slam missing from his otherwise great resume. The next, unseeded Juan Manuel Cerundolo is celebrating the biggest win of his career after beating the world No. 1 in the second round.
Later on, 19-year-old Joao Fonseca is delivering a five-set masterclass against 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
With Carlos Alcaraz already sidelined by injury and the draw now missing both Sinner and Djokovic. the 2026 French Open has become unexpectedly wide open.
For the first time since Daniil Medvedev’s 2021 US Open triumph, a first-time Grand Slam champion will be crowned. And frankly, almost anyone still standing has a legitimate shot.
This is the first time since 2004 that none of Djokovic, Nadal, Alcaraz, Sinner or Federer reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament.
Who’s Left?
Well, the remaining top 10 seeds are:
- No. 2 Alexander Zverev
- No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime
- No. 10 Flavio Cobolli
That’s it. The rest of the draw is occupied by unseeded players and lower-ranked seeds who’ve suddenly become legitimate contenders. Especially some of the younger players that seem in great form.
The Real Contenders Now
Bottom half of the draw:
By far the strong part of the draw and this will be a real war to reach the final.
Alexander Zverev (No. 2 seed, 26 years old)
The highest-remaining seed and clearly the bookmakers favorite. Zverev is now in the Round of 16 after defeating Quentin Halys and advancing methodically through his section.
This is finally his moment. Zverev now faces the clearest path to a Grand Slam title he’s ever had. He has the form and the talent, but can he mentally commit and finish the job without pressure grinding him down. He might face Jodar in an interesting quarterfinal.
Casper Ruud (No. 15 seed, 25 years old)
The Norwegian clay court specialist is in the Round of 16 after a tough five-set victory over Tommy Paul. Ruud has been to the French Open final twice (2022, 2023) and understands exactly what it takes to win here.
He has never had a softer path to a potential final. His experience of playing deep in Grand Slams gives him a psychological edge that younger players lack. Next up is a red hot Fonseca though…
Rafael Jodar (No. 27 seed, 19 years old)
The Spanish teenager is making serious noise and it feels crazy to actually see him as a Grand Slam winner contender already. Now in the Round of 16 after defeating Alex Michelsen in a five-set thriller. Jodar loves it on these clay courts and he plays without fear.
Joao Fonseca (No. 28 seed, 19 years old)
The Brazilian prodigy who just beat Novak Djokovic in a five-set classic is now in the Round of 16. Has been called “over-hyped” by some but is once again starting to show why he will soon be a top ranked player.
His forehand is one of the most feared on the tour at the moment. Does he have the energy and focus to keep up the game he showed against Novak?
Congrats Fonseca, what a battle. The first teenager to ever beat Djokovic in a Grand Slam!
There are not many players that have won from being 2-0 down to Novak… in fact only 1! pic.twitter.com/JfFQ6xlJzM— Tennisnerd.net (@Tennisnerdnet) May 29, 2026
Andrey Rublev (No. 11 seed, 27 years old)
The Russian is in the Round of 16 after defeating Nuno Borges in straight sets. Rublev has been playing excellent tennis all season and brings a completely different style to the remaining contenders. Not many are talking about him but he has the experience and can challenge anyone still in here. He’s also played shorter matches than Ruud, Jodar and Fonseca.
Top half of the draw:
Best contenders to reach the final in my opinion.
Flavio Cobolli (No. 10 seed, 22 years old)
The Italian continues to impress and he has just beaten Learner Tien in straight sets, which is impressive. Cobolli has proven all season that he’s a legitimate clay court player and he’s a real dark horse to win it in Paris now. Maybe the most underrated remaining contender.
Felix Auger-Aliassime (No. 4 seed, 23 years old)
The Canadian power player is looking to finally fulfill the potential that made him a Grand Slam favorite years ago. Auger-Aliassime has survived through intelligent play and his explosive serve and forehand.
However, his track record at Roland-Garros isn’t exceptional and his form has been inconsistent. Still, he remains a legitimate threat given what’s left in this part of the draw.
Flavio is into the round of 16! ?#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/VINzquq4dA
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 30, 2026
Frances Tiafoe (No. 19 seed, 22 years old)
The American is in the Round of 16 after surviving a grueling five-set battle against Hubert Hurkacz in the second round. Tiafoe’s big serve and aggressive mentality give him a chance against anyone. The question is whether his clay court footwork and consistency hold up over a full tournament.
Moïse Kouame
The 17-year-old super talent is the home crowds favorite and we can see why. It will be so interesting to see how far he can take this!
Or can Raphael Collignon or Berrettini surprise us?
2026 Final?
What’s your prediction for the 2026 RG final? Feels impossible to predict. I go for a Zverev vs Cobolli final. Write yours in the comments below.