PARIS – The opening round at Roland Garros brought the usual mix of classic victories, physical battles and early surprises 2026 The French Open kicked off on the red clay in Paris.
Top-seeded Jannik Sinner opened his campaign with a straight-sets victory over French wildcard Clement Tabur, looking sharp from the baseline throughout the match. The controlled Italian played early with depth and consistency on both wings and did not allow the crowd to drag the game into dangerous territory.
With Carlos Alcaraz out of the tournament due to injury, the attention surrounding Sinner entering Paris has grown exponentially. His opening round performance did not quite live up to expectations.
Novak Djokovic also made it into the second round, although he was unopposed.
The three-time French Open champion dropped a set to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard before settling in the match and going four sets ahead. Coach Perricard came out strong behind his ball and forward, but Djokovic gradually took control as the rallies increased to points.
As the match progressed, the Serbian’s movement and consistency from baseline began to frustrate the Frenchman, especially during several long service games late in the third and fourth sets.
While several favorites advanced comfortably, the first round also brought several notable exits.
Daniil Medvedev was knocked out in five sets by Australia’s Adam Walton in another tough result for the Russian on clay. Medvedev struggled to finish points consistently from the baseline, while Walton stayed strong during key moments late in the match.
Taylor Fritz also went out in five sets against Nishesh Basavareddy, while Alexander Bublik fell to Jan-Lennard Struff.
Another impressive performance on the men’s side came from Joao Fonseca.
The young Brazilian handled his opening round match with confidence, playing aggressive tennis from the start and embracing the wind on the outdoor courts. Fonseca’s forehand often meant rallies, but his composure in moments of pressure stood out more than the shot itself.
On the women’s side, defending champion Coco Gauff began her title defense with a straight-sets victory over American Taylor Townsend.
Gauff faced a rough start from Townsend early in the game before gradually settling into a rhythm from the baseline. As the circles expanded, Gauff’s movement and consistency began to wear Townsend down physically.
Aryna Sabalenka also improved well with her opener.
World No. 1 he relies heavily on his serve and first strike tennis throughout the match, keeping points short and preventing his opponent from getting a rhythm from the baseline.
Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek again looked comfortable on the wall in Paris in his opening round victory over Emerson Jones.
The four-time champion was moving around the court and controlled the points with more pressure on his forehand, continuing the form that has seen him dominate at Roland Garros in recent years.
The cheating of women also started to make a splash in this competition.
Jessica Pegula went out in three sets against Kimberly Birrell after struggling to maintain consistency during the extended rounds. Birrell remained steady throughout the match and managed a physical exchange late in the deciding set.
On all courts at Roland Garros, the opening round carried the atmosphere that always seems to follow the first few days in Paris – packed courts outside, long matches that reach into the evening and players trying to survive the grind that the clay court demands.
And after only a few days, both drawings already sound wide open heading into the second round.
