With Jannik Sinner entering as the favorite, several players could still threaten the Italian’s bid for a first French Open title.

• Casper Ruud enters Paris after winning the Madrid Open
• Alexander Zverev remains among the top seeds at Roland Garros
• Novak Djokovic is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title
• Arthur Fils, Ben Shelton and Lorenzo Musetti are emerging threats

With Jannik Sinner arriving at Roland Garros in dominant form, attention has shifted toward which players could realistically challenge the world number one at the 2026 French Open.

Several contenders enter the tournament with strong clay-court credentials, recent form, or Grand Slam experience that could make them dangerous over five sets in Paris.

Casper Ruud

Ruud remains one of the strongest clay-court specialists on the ATP Tour. The Norwegian won the Madrid Open earlier this season for his first ATP Masters 1000 title and has already reached two French Open finals in his career. 12 of Ruud’s 14 ATP titles have come on clay.

After winning in Madrid, Ruud said, according to Channel NewsAsia, “In best-of-five sets, I’ll be even tougher to beat.”

Alexander Zverev

Zverev enters Roland Garros as one of the highest seeds following Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal through injury. The German reached the French Open final in 2024 and has consistently performed well on clay over recent seasons.

Zverev remains determined to win his first Grand Slam title despite Sinner’s recent dominance.

Novak Djokovic

Djokovic arrives in Paris attempting to win a record 25th Grand Slam singles title. The Serbian has endured an inconsistent clay season and dealt with fitness concerns, but his experience at major tournaments keeps him among the contenders.

Djokovic skipped his Geneva title defense after struggling physically during the buildup to Roland Garros.

Arthur Fils

French hopes may largely rest on Arthur Fils after the 21-year-old enjoyed a strong clay season. Fils won the Barcelona Open earlier this year and produced deep runs in both Miami and Madrid before Roland Garros. The Frenchman will also carry home support in Paris.

Ben Shelton

Shelton has continued improving on clay and won the Munich Open this season. The American became the first U.S. man since 2002 to win a major ATP clay-court title.

His powerful serve and aggressive baseline game make him a difficult opponent despite his limited experience deep into the French Open.

Lorenzo Musetti

Musetti has quietly assembled one of the most consistent clay seasons on tour. The Italian reached the Monte Carlo final and later made semifinal appearances in Madrid and Rome. His movement and variety remain particularly effective on slower surfaces.

Holger Rune

Rune’s season has been disrupted by injury and illness, but the Dane remains a dangerous player on clay.

Rune defeated Alcaraz in Barcelona earlier this year before struggling physically in later tournaments. The 22-year-old has already reached two French Open quarterfinals during his career.

With Alcaraz sidelined through injury, the men’s draw appears more open behind Sinner, increasing the importance of experienced clay specialists and younger challengers capable of handling long matches over two weeks in Paris.