The French Open 2026 gets underway today at Roland-Garros in Paris, with qualifying rounds beginning on 18 May before the main draw launches on Sunday 24 May. World No.1 Jannik Sinner arrives as the clear favourite — and chasing the one Grand Slam title that has so far eluded him.
French Open 2026: Can Sinner Finally Conquer the Clay?
Sinner arrives in Paris in the form of his life. The Italian world No.1 swept through the Italian Open last week, defeating Casper Ruud 6–4, 6–4 in the final to become the first homegrown men’s champion in Rome in 50 years and complete a Career Golden Masters — winning every ATP Masters 1000 title at least once. That is the sort of form that wins Grand Slams.
At 24, Sinner already holds the Australian Open (twice) and US Open, but Roland-Garros has been the outlier. Clay is not his weakest surface — far from it — but the French Open has a specific, gruelling quality that separates it from other majors: best-of-five sets on slow red dirt, where mental endurance is tested as much as physical skill. This year, with his game at its peak and a Golden Masters sweep freshly banked, the feeling is that if Sinner does not win Roland-Garros now, the question of when will begin to grow louder.
The draw will be announced on Thursday 21 May, but potential threats to Sinner’s path to the title include the resurgent Grigor Dimitrov — who is in the qualifying draw — and a cluster of younger clay-court specialists making significant strides up the rankings. Carlos Alcaraz’s absence through injury, confirmed earlier this month, removes one of Sinner’s biggest rivals and opens the door wider still.
Women’s Side: Sabalenka Leads, but the Clay Belongs to No One
On the women’s side, world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka is the form player of the season and goes into Roland-Garros as the favourite. The Belarusian has dominated hard courts, but clay has traditionally offered more resistance. She has reached the semi-finals at the French Open before, and with the draw made on Thursday, the question of whether she can go all the way will be the dominant narrative of the women’s tournament.
Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva — spotted alongside Sabalenka on the practice courts during Opening Week — will be one to watch after a breakout season that has seen her climb into the top 20. Former champions Sloane Stephens and Bianca Andreescu are both in the qualifying draw, a reminder that Roland-Garros always has room for a story.
La Monf’s Farewell, and a Brand-New Roland-Garros
Away from the competitive action, this year’s French Open carries a bittersweet emotional charge. Gael Monfils, one of the most beloved entertainers the game has ever produced, is playing his final Roland-Garros before retiring at the end of 2026. On Thursday evening, he will take centre stage on Court Philippe-Chatrier for a carnival send-off that will include Davis Cup teammates Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, DJ Martin Solveig, and rapper Franglish.
The organisers have also introduced a brand-new Jardin des Chefs fan area from Sunday 24 May, with France’s top chefs and pastry makers setting up shop near the Simonne-Mathieu court — blending top-level tennis with world-class gastronomy in a way that only Paris can pull off.
For Singapore tennis fans, the French Open is a must-follow over the next three weeks. We covered the Singapore Tennis Open 2026 earlier this season, and Sinner’s Italian Open triumph was previewed in detail here on Little Big Red Dot. Follow all the action from Paris on our Sports page.
Main draw action begins Sunday 24 May, with the men’s final scheduled for Sunday 7 June 2026.
