PARIS – The men’s draw at Roland Garros looks markedly different than it did earlier in the week.
When Carlos Alcaraz withdrew before the tournament due to injury, Jannik Sinner became the clear favorite to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires. World no. 1 had been the most consistent player in the tournament all season and seemed to have a favorable path through the draw.
Few could have imagined he would be out before the third round.
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Sinner’s stunning loss to Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo sent shockwaves through Roland Garros and immediately changed the outlook of the tournament. Less than two days later, Novak Djokovic joined him on the court after going down in five sets to Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.
With the tournament still halfway through, two of the sport’s biggest stars are gone and suddenly, a host of players have reason to believe this could be their chance.
Alexander Zverev is among those who will benefit the most.
The German has established himself as one of the premier players of his generation on clay, making several deep runs in Paris, including last year’s final. Despite his success, Grand Slam titles have remained elusive, often because he has come up against players such as Djokovic, Alcaraz or Sinner in the latter stages of major tournaments.
This year, the road has become significantly more manageable.
Casper Ruud finds himself in a similar position. A two-time finalist at Roland Garros, the Norwegian has consistently produced some of his best tennis on clay and enters the second week with a realistic chance of making another run.
The possibilities don’t end there.
Fonseca’s win over Djokovic was the kind of result that can change the trajectory of a player’s career. Long regarded as one of the sport’s brightest young talents, the Brazilian now finds himself in a part of the draw that has suddenly opened up.
Elsewhere, Felix Auger-Aliassime and several other contenders remain alive in a tournament that no longer has an overwhelming favorite.
This is probably the biggest takeaway of the first week in Paris.
At the start of the tournament, most of the attention was focused on Sinner’s chances of capturing another major title. Now, with Sinner out and Djokovic out of the way, the conversation has completely changed.
For the remaining players, Roland Garros has become a tournament of opportunity.
Week two will still feature tough matches and dangerous opponents, but for the first time in years, the men’s draw feels genuinely unpredictable. As the tournament heads into the quarterfinals, several players who may have entered Paris hoping for a deep run now have a legitimate chance to walk away with the biggest title of their careers.
