Mumbai: For close to two decades, from 2005 to 2022, a man carried an aura of invincibility around the clay courts of Roland Garros. He’d come, he’d see and, in all but four occasions across those 18 editions, he’d conquer. In essentially a one-horse race in Paris, the others would often be reduced to also-rans.
Rafael Nadal, that king of clay, is no longer flexing those forehands on the dirt but there’s another man, this Master (pun intended) of the moment, who exudes a similar air of unbeatability at the 2026 French Open.
Jannik Sinner sets foot at the season’s second Grand Slam, starting on Sunday, as the world No.1 who cannot put a foot wrong at present. Five Masters titles on the bounce, including three on clay, an unbeaten run of 29 matches and counting, just three sets dropped through the streak–few players in history have checked into the French Open on the back of such spectacular superiority.
What can stop Sinner? Who can beat the Italian?
Seemingly no one would be the answer. Even more so without two-time defending champion and his biggest rival Carlos Alcaraz in the draw. There are, however, a few things to consider, and a few men to keep an eye on.
The French Open is Sinner’s least productive Slam and the only one the four-time Major champion is yet to win. After a solitary semi-final outing in 2024, he came closest last year in that epic final with Alcaraz which he lost from three match points up.
For all his Masters stranglehold and winning streaks, the 24-year-old has won one Slam from the last four. After two final defeats to Alcaraz either side of the 2025 Wimbledon title and the semi-final ouster from this year’s Australian Open, Sinner is in search of a major triumph.
Sinner is also, for the first time in his career, competing in a Slam as a runaway favourite. It’s a great spot to be in, but one that he isn’t too used to on that stage and that could bring a touch of pressure.
“Everyone is trying to beat (me), but that’s also the most normal thing. You need to be ready,” Sinner said in Paris. “Best-of-five matches, they are a bit different… Let’s see. I’m very sure I have very, very tough matches in front of me.”
The Italian has in the past shown the ability to handle far greater mental tests. The next two weeks will also present a physical test. Turning up for five Masters events while playing and winning 30 matches has meant Sinner has played pretty much non-stop since March.
“It’s always better to be in a position where you win and you start to feel tired, than you feel very good but you lose a couple of rounds,” said Sinner, who plays French wildcard Clement Tabur in the first round.
Novak Djokovic has played just two tournaments since March, winning a couple of matches and losing as many. Djokovic, who turned 39 on Friday, admitted he’d liked to have played more, only for physical issues to come in the way.
The 24-time Slam champion, though, has proved such things hardly matter to him. The Serb entered the Australian Open without playing any tune-in event, and walked away as the runner-up to Alcaraz after going past Sinner in the semi-final.
It also proved that Djokovic was still good enough to beat one of the two on his day, even if both back-to-back may be a bridge too far. One of them is not there in Paris. Djokovic has a serious shot at the elusive 25th, and he knows it.
“I am not really thinking if I have better chances or not with Carlos being here or not being here,” Djokovic, who is not in Sinner’s half of the draw and begins on Sunday against big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, said.
“Because I feel that if I’m healthy and I’m able to maintain that level of freshness throughout the tournament… then I always have a very good chance. I have proven that in Australia this year, where I was close to winning another Slam.”
Who else could get close? Daniil Medvedev, one of only three men to have taken a set off Sinner in his run, made the final at Indian Wells and semi-finals at Rome. Alexander Zverev, the world No.3, desperately needs a Slam statement. And then there’s the newest Spanish sensation in Rafael Jodar, the 19-year-old who has taken rapid strides in the clay swing.
