The men’s French Open contenders after Jannik Sinner shock including Spanish teenager

Jannik Sinner is out of the French Open 2026 and with that goes the biggest favourite before a Grand Slam in the men’s singles draw since Rafael Nadal, also at the French Open in 2009.

The Italian went down in five sets to Juan Manuel Cerundolo, and with Carlos Alcaraz also out of Roland Garros, and Wimbledon, this year due to injury, Novak Djokovic has a chance to bring up a 25th Grand Slam.

That would take Djokovic past Margaret Court, breaking a tie with the Australian for most singles titles in the sport’s history.

Outside of Djokovic, there are no Grand Slam winners in the draw left, offering both opportunity and pressure without the two players that have defined this current era of men’s tennis.

Here we look at the contenders in the men’s French Open as we approach the end of the first week:

Alexander Zverev (2)

Unequivocally, this is the moment Alexander Zverev has been waiting for. A mainstay at the top of the sport for nearly a decade, the 29-year-old German has lost all three of his Grand Slam finals. Now, six years on from serving for the match in the US Open final against Dominic Thiem, surely this is his time to break the duck? Sure, he’s in the harder side of the draw and may well have to beat Novak Djokovic but, with no Sinner or Alcaraz, if not now… when?

Novak Djokovic (3)

Destiny? No Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner, the longevity of Djokovic is remarkable, and his patience could be rewarded here with a golden opportunity to cement his place in history with that magic No 25. The draw is not kind, though, with Joao Fonseca gradually growing into the world class player he is expected to become, but then Casper Ruud might be waiting in the fourth round. If anybody can manage their body through the next nine days, it’s Djokovic, then who would bet against him in a final?

Felix Auger-Aliassime (4)

On the right side of the draw and positioned perfectly to attack a breakthrough in the Grand Slams. The Canadian could be on a collision course with French teenage sensation Moise Kouame should both advance to the fourth round. First up, American Brandon Nakashima, but the 25-year-old must surely be eyeing up a career-best performance at Roland Garros after two fourth rounds in 2022 and 2024, while his career-best performance in the Grand Slams is the semi-final in the US Open in 2021 and 2025.

Casper Ruud (15)

Suddenly, the Norwegian might be dreaming of banishing his repeated Roland Garros heartbreak. In 2022 and 2023, as a 23-year-old then at 24, Ruud made stellar runs to the final of the French Open, only to encounter Rafael Nadal then Novak Djokovic at the end. The two icons both beat Ruud in straight sets, with the “King of Clay” Nadal even dealing him a bagel in their final frame. These results were sobering moments for Ruud, as was a 2022 US Open final defeat, but he was – and is – still young. Could 2026 be his year? He has shown himself to be more than adept on this surface, and if he finds himself up against the most-formidable man left in the draw, old foe Djokovic, it will be in the fourth round – with less pressure than in a final. Next up for him is Tommy Paul in the third round.

Frances Tiafoe (19)

The popular American, who has retrieved his racket from a fan after victory over Hubert Hurkacz following a social media plea, is the highest seed remaining in the ‘Sinner-quarter’ of the draw, but the worry is whether he will have enough left in the tank. He came through a five-set battle in nearly five hours against Hurkacz in round two but, while his grit and athleticism can take him far, he’ll need to be more clinical in his matches if he wants to go deep into the second week. For the 28-year-old, a first Grand Slam final is now a very realistic possibility.

Rafael Jodar (27)

A teenage winner at the French Open? What a story that would be, the first champion of such an age since Nadal in 2005. And some believe that Jodar, like his compatriot before him, is capable. The 19-year-old made his grand-slam debut at this year’s Australian Open, reaching the second round, and he has already bettered that effort by reaching round three in Paris. More pertinently, however, Jodar entered the French Open on the back of his first pro title, on the same surface on which Roland Garros is played: just last month, he won an ATP 250 trophy on Moroccan clay. He has the form, he has the youthful confidence, and he has zero pressure on his shoulders. After beating James Duckworth in round two, he faces Alex Michelsen next.

Men’s French Open Winner 2026 odds

Alexander Zverev 15/8

Novak Djokovic 7/2

Casper Ruud 15/2

Rafael Jodar 9/1

Francisco Cerundolo 14/1

Flavio Cobolli 22/1

Felix Auger-Aliassime 25/1

Alex De Minaur 28/1

Joao Fonseca 33/1

Matteo Berrettini 50/1

Learner Tien 50/1

Andrey Rublev 50/1

Frances Tiafoe 50/1

Raphael Collignon 50/1

Alejandro Tabilo 80/1

Tommy Paul 80/1

Karen Khachanov 100/1

Odds via Betfair