PARIS – The opening round at Roland Garros brought the usual mix of routine wins, physical battles and early surprises. 2026 The French Open took place on the red clay in Paris.
Top-seeded Jannik Sinner opened his campaign with a straight-sets win over Frenchman Clement Tabur, looking clear from the baseline throughout the match. The controlled Italian played early with his depth and consistency out on either flank and never allowed the crowd to drag the game into dangerous territory.
With Carlos Alcaraz absent from the tournament due to injury, the attention around Sinner heading into Paris has only increased. His performance in the opening round did little to dampen those expectations.
Novak Djokovic also advanced to the second round, but not without resistance.
The three-time French Open champion dropped a set against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard before serving in the match to advance to four sets. Mpetshi Perricard came out aggressively after his serve and forehand, but Djokovic gradually took control as the rallies extended deeper into points.
As the match wore on, the Serb’s movement and consistency from the baseline began to frustrate the Frenchman, especially during some long late service games in the third and fourth sets.
While some favorites went smoothly, the first round also produced a handful of notable exits.
Daniil Medvedev was eliminated in five sets by Australian Adam Walton in another difficult result for the Russian on clay. Medvedev struggled to consistently finish points from the baseline, while Walton remained calm during key moments late in the match.
Taylor Fritz also went five sets against Nishesh Basavareddy, while Alexander Bublik was knocked out by Jan-Lennard Struff.
One of the most impressive performances on the men’s side came from Joao Fonseca.
The Brazilian teenager handled his opening match with confidence, playing aggressive tennis from the start and embracing the atmosphere on the outdoor courts. Fonseca’s forehand constantly dictated rallies, but his composure under pressure stood out even more than the shot itself.
On the women’s side, defending champion Coco Gauff began her title defense with a straight-sets victory over fellow American Taylor Townsend.
Gauff withstood an aggressive start by Townsend early in the game before gradually settling into a rhythm from the baseline. As the rallies extended, Gauff’s drive and stamina began to take a physical toll on Townsend.
Aryna Sabalenka also progressed comfortably with her opener.
World no. 1 relied heavily on her serve and forehand tennis throughout the match, keeping points short and preventing her opponent from finding rhythm from the baseline.
Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek once again looked comfortable on the Paris clay in her first round win over Emerson Jones.
The four-time champion moved fluidly around the court and controlled points with heavy forehand spin, continuing the level that has made her so dominant at Roland Garros over the years.
The women’s draw saw one of the first big surprises of the tournament.
Jessica Pegula went three sets against Kimberly Birrell after struggling to maintain consistency during several extended rallies. Birrell held steady throughout the match and handled the physical exchanges late in the deciding set.
Across the grounds of Roland Garros, the opening round held the atmosphere that always seems to follow the first few days in Paris – packed with people outside the courts, long matches stretching into the evening and players trying to survive the physical strife that tennis on clay courts demands.
And after just a few days, both ties already feel much more open heading into the second round.
