French Open 2026 begins: Sinner on the brink of a career Grand Slam, injured Alcaraz out

Paris, May 24. Tennis's most prestigious clay-court event, the French Open, began at Roland Garros on May 24. The Grand Slam runs through June 7 and features 128-player singles draws for both men and women.

Sinner eyes history

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has taken to the court aiming to complete a career Grand Slam. He enters the tournament on a 29-match winning streak, having claimed the Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Rome Masters titles this season.

Alcaraz's absence

Sinner's biggest rival and back-to-back French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz is out this time with a wrist injury; he has also withdrawn from Wimbledon. That opens a major opportunity for players such as Alexander Zverev, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, and Arthur Fils.

Women's draw and prize money

In the women's singles, Coco Gauff begins the defence of her title against Taylor Townsend, while Aryna Sabalenka is the top seed. This year, prize money for the winners has been raised to $3.2 million, a 10% increase over last year.