Jannik Sinner opens his French Open campaign on Sunday, May 24, against French wild card Corentin Tabur, with a career Grand Slam within reach. The world No.1 and 2025 Wimbledon champion was runner-up at Roland Garros in 2025, losing an epic, record-length final to Carlos Alcaraz, and his collection of major titles now leaves Roland Garros as the only one still to win.
Sinner’s projected path on paper includes early-round tests against the likes of Juan Manuel Cerundolo or Britain’s Jacob Fearnley, clay-courters such as Corentin Moutet and Marco Trungelliti in the middle rounds, and potential later-round clashes with players such as Matteo Berrettini, Ben Shelton, Alex de Minaur, or the big names in the opposite half in the final stages. With defending champion Carlos Alcaraz absent after confirming he will miss Roland Garros and Wimbledon with a wrist injury, one of the biggest obstacles from recent years will not be on the clay.
Novak Djokovic, the 2023 champion and seeded third, begins by facing France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and is drawn into the opposite half from Sinner, meaning a Paris final between them remains a possible path. Djokovic’s projected route on paper includes potential fourth-round opposition such as Casper Ruud or Tommy Paul, quarter-final matches against top-eight seeds like Andrey Rublev or Alex de Minaur, and semi-final clashes with Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz or Karen Khachanov.
British interest in the men’s draw includes Cameron Norrie, who opens against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, and Jacob Fearnley — the only unseeded British player — who faces Juan Manuel Cerundolo and could meet Sinner in round two. Toby Samuel, fresh from qualifying, makes his Grand Slam main-draw debut after a dramatic rise in the rankings.
On the women’s side, Emma Raducanu faces Argentina’s Solana Sierra in the first round. Unseeded at No.37 after a slide in the rankings, Raducanu arrives at Roland Garros with limited clay-court mileage this season and will be hoping to rediscover form; a second-round meeting with 13th seed Jasmine Paolini is possible if the Italian progresses past Dayana Yastremska.
World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, runner-up at Roland Garros in 2025, is still searching for her first French Open title and begins against Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Coco Gauff, the defending women’s champion, opens with Taylor Townsend. Iga Swiatek, a four-time champion, plays Australian wildcard Emerson Jones, while second seed Elena Rybakina meets Veronika Erjavec in round one.
Britain’s other representatives include Katie Boulter, who draws an American wild card in Akasha Urhobo, and Fran Jones, who faces Beatriz Haddad Maia. Raducanu’s path includes possible showdowns with Petra Kvitová / other top seeds later in the draw if she advances.
Notable first-round matchups and seeds to watch (highlights):
– Men: Jannik Sinner (1) vs Corentin Tabur; Novak Djokovic (3) vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard; Alexander Zverev (2) faces Benjamin Bonzi in round one; Taylor Fritz (7), Daniil Medvedev (6) and Ben Shelton (5) all feature in a loaded field.
– Women: Aryna Sabalenka (1) leads the draw; Elena Rybakina (2), Iga Swiatek (3), Coco Gauff (4) and Jessica Pegula (5) are among the top seeds. Emma Raducanu (unseeded) faces Solana Sierra.
A few further storylines to follow:
– The tournament marks a big opportunity for Sinner to complete the set of majors and for Sabalenka to claim her first Roland Garros crown.
– Young talents such as 19-year-old Rafael Jodar and other rising players are sprinkled throughout the draw, offering potential upsets and surprises.
– Qualifiers and wild cards, including several home favourites, will look to make an impact on the big stages of Paris.
Schedule and logistics:
– Tournament dates: May 24 to June 7, with the men’s final scheduled for Sunday, June 7.
– Key rounds: First round May 24–26; second round May 27–28; third round May 29–30; fourth round May 31–June 1; quarter-finals June 2–3; women’s semis June 4; men’s semis June 5; women’s final June 6.
Prize money and player reaction:
Organisers have raised the overall prize pool by about 10% to 61.7 million euros, up 5.3 million from last year. However, several players have expressed disappointment that the share of tournament revenue allocated to players is projected to fall from 15.5% in 2024 to 14.9% in 2026. By contrast, other slams have increased player shares more aggressively this year and last — the Australian Open by around 16% and the US Open by about 20% in the previous year — prompting debate among top players about distribution and fairness.
Broadcast information: The ATP and WTA Tours, including Roland Garros coverage, will be available on Sky Sports and via streaming options such as NOW and the Sky Sports app for subscribers.
This French Open draw sets up a compelling fortnight: a clear chance for Jannik Sinner to complete a career Grand Slam, established champions aiming to defend or reclaim titles, and plenty of potential upsets from rising stars and home players in Paris.