The starting signal for Roland-Garros 2026 sounded this Sunday, May 24, on the clay courts of Stade Roland Garros in Paris. This 125th edition of the Grand Slam tournament begins under the shadow of a major development: the withdrawal of Carlos Alcaraz, defending champion and world number 2, forced out by a right wrist injury. His absence reshuffles the deck and propels Italy's Jannik Sinner into the role of undisputed favorite.

Alcaraz withdraws: a turning point for the 2026 edition

Carlos Alcaraz lit up Roland-Garros in 2025, winning the title against Jannik Sinner in an epic final. But this year, the Spaniard will not be part of the draw. Injured in his right wrist, he announced his withdrawal not only from the Paris tournament, but also from the entire grass-court swing, including Wimbledon. It is painful news for tennis fans, who were hoping for another clash between the two best players on the planet.

His absence leaves a huge void in the men's draw. Sinner now finds himself alone at the helm, without his usual rival to challenge him in the final stages.

Sinner, the absolute favorite on Paris clay

World number 1 and in exceptional form, Jannik Sinner begins this Roland-Garros with every advantage. His first round against France's Clément Tabur, ranked 165th in the world and a last-minute wild card, should not cause him too much trouble. With a royal road opening up ahead of him, the Italian has a historic opportunity to win in Paris and consolidate his status as the best player in the world.

Observers are unanimous: without Alcaraz, there are very few players left capable of standing up to Sinner over five sets in a Grand Slam. The 2026 men's draw looks like a walk in the park for the man with the fearsome serve.

The outsiders: Zverev, Fils, Djokovic

While Sinner is the overwhelming favorite, several players could still disrupt his march toward the title:

• Alexander Zverev: The German stands out as the first serious outsider. Solid on clay, he has already shown in the past that he can compete with the elite.
• Arthur Fils: The Frenchman has impressed since returning from injury. On home soil, he will benefit from strong crowd support and extra motivation.
• Novak Djokovic: The eternal Serbian competitor, a multiple-time winner in Paris, remains a threat no one can rule out. At 38, he continues to defy time.
• Gaël Monfils: The French icon faces young Hugo Gaston in a promising all-French clash right from the first round.

The women's draw: more open than ever

On the women's side, the tournament looks especially open. Coco Gauff's title defense will be complicated: the American champion is in the same half of the draw as Aryna Sabalenka, the world number 1, which could bring them together as early as the semifinals.

Iga Swiatek, a four-time champion in Paris, begins her quest for a fifth title against young Australian Emerson Jones. Despite her status as a great clay-court champion, the Pole will have to beware of increasingly sharp competition.

Elena Rybakina, winner of the Australian Open at the start of the year, and Mirra Andreeva, a rising young prodigy, complete the quartet of favorites. None of them stands clearly above the rest, suggesting a particularly uncertain and exciting women's draw.

The French players in the race

In addition to Arthur Fils and Gaël Monfils, several French players have managed to qualify for the main draw. Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Luka Pavlovic and Kyrian Jacquet successfully came through the three rounds of qualifying, carrying French tennis hopes on home soil.

The strong French presence in the draw represents a rare opportunity for collective excitement. The crowd at Stade Roland Garros will be particularly loud and passionate during these all-French matchups.

What's new in this 125th edition

This anniversary edition retains one notable feature: the use of human line judges, against current trends. While the other Grand Slam tournaments have adopted electronic line calling, Roland-Garros is maintaining tradition, a decision that divides tour experts but that many fans appreciate for its human touch.

The tournament will run until June 7, 2026, with the singles finals scheduled for June 6 (women) and June 7 (men) on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Two weeks of top-level tennis lie ahead, with the suspense still intact despite Alcaraz's absence.

Roland-Garros 2026 opens without its defending champion, but not without stories waiting to be written. It is a chance for Sinner to confirm his dominance, for the outsiders to spring a surprise, and for French tennis to dream big.