The 2026 French Open men’s singles tournament will start Sunday, May 23, at Roland Garros in Paris [1, 2, 3]. Leading men’s contenders include Casper Ruud (world rank 17), Ben Shelton (6), Arthur Fils (19), Rafael Jodar (29), and Daniil Medvedev (7) [1, 2]. Ruud is a two-time runner-up and a clay-court specialist with 12 of his 14 career titles on clay [1, 2]. Shelton, who won the Munich Open last month, is the highest-ranked American clay contender since Andre Agassi in 2002 [1, 2]. Fils, ranked 19, missed much of 2025 due to a back injury but has recently won the Barcelona Open and reached the Madrid semifinals. "I have been passed fit for Roland Garros after my back injury," Fils said [1, 2]. Rafael Jodar rose sharply this year from 165th to 29th in the world with strong clay results, including his first ATP title in Morocco [1, 2]. Medvedev, ranked 7th, has struggled on clay historically, losing in the first round six times in nine French Opens, but reached the Rome semifinals this year [1, 2]. Carlos Alcaraz was the 2025 men’s French Open champion, beating Jannik Sinner in a five-set final [4, 5]. Historical champions include Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Alcaraz among others [4, 5].
On the women’s side, top contenders include Elena Rybakina (rank 2), Elina Svitolina (7), Jessica Pegula (5), and Marta Kostyuk (15) [3]. Rybakina won the 2026 Australian Open and successfully defended her Stuttgart Open title ahead of the French Open [3]. Svitolina defeated defending champion Coco Gauff in the Italian Open final on May 17 and has beaten Rybakina and Iga Swiatek this year [3]. Pegula aims for her first Grand Slam title after reaching semifinals at the U.S. and Australian Opens in 2026. She said, "I have shifted my focus from pure speed to adding different spins and improving placement on my serve" [3]. Kostyuk won her first WTA 1000 title at the Madrid Open and remains undefeated on clay with 12 wins and two titles this year [3]. Coco Gauff was the 2025 women’s French Open singles champion, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in three sets [6, 7]. Historical women’s champions include Iga Swiatek, Serena Williams, and Maria Sharapova [6, 7].
The tournament opens Sunday, May 23, and will run through early June, with top seeds expected to battle for the prestigious titles on the clay courts of Roland Garros [1, 2, 3].
