Many people expected Jannik Sinner to win his first French Open crown this year. Instead, the No 1 exited early in the second round, leaving the ATP category open. Here are some favorites in contention for the title, Yankee Scores reports.
Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev knows the clay of Roland Garros well. A runner‑up in Paris in 2024, the German has built a résumé that includes three semifinals and another quarterfinal at the French Open, yet the major title still hangs just out of reach.
Now 29, Zverev arrives in Paris in peak form. His spring campaign featured a final in Madrid and semifinal runs in Monte Carlo and Munich, sharpening his game for the season’s biggest clay stage. Seeded second, he has yet to drop a set this year and will look to extend that when he faces Frenchman Quentin Halys under the lights on Friday evening.
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Felix Auger‑Aliassime has emerged as the standard‑bearer in the top half of the French Open draw. Seeded No. 4, the Canadian is the highest‑ranked player left standing and now faces Brandon Nakashima in the third round.
In the opening round, Auger‑Aliassime was just two points from defeat before clawing back to outlast Daniel Altmaier in five sets. He steadied in the second round, overcoming Roman Andres Burruchaga in four. Paris has been a familiar stage for him, his best runs here came with fourth‑round appearances in 2022 and 2024.
Moise Kouame: A French Hope Emerges
The Paris crowd has found a new favorite in Moise Kouame. The teenage sensation, ranked No. 318, has lit up Roland Garros, becoming the first man born in 2008 or later to win a Grand Slam match after stunning Marin Cilic in straight sets.
Kouame followed that with a five‑set thriller that lasted just under five hours, delighting the home fans and propelling him into the third round. His next challenge is Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, the dream is emulating Yannick Noah, the last Frenchman to lift the trophy back in 1983. “Winning Roland Garros is, of course, a dream,” Kouame admitted.
Casper Ruud
For Casper Ruud, Roland Garros has been both a proving ground and a heartbreak. The Norwegian reached back‑to‑back finals in 2022 and 2023, falling first to Rafael Nadal and then to Novak Djokovic. This year, his opening match stretched to five sets before he found a way through. Now, Ruud faces American Tommy Paul in the third round, determined to rediscover his form on the clay of Court Philippe‑Chatrier.
