French Open 2026 to see maiden Grand Slam champions in both men’s and women’s singles
Tennis will witness two new Grand Slam winners by the end of Roland Garros 2026.
The twists and turns at the French Open 2026 have been one of a kind, with plenty of shocking upsets headlining the narrative at both sides of the draw.
On the men’s side, Jannik Sinner arrived as the overwhelming favorite to win the title in Carlos Alcaraz’s absence.
The odds were heavily in his favour, due to the Italian’s strong record ahead of the competition. Sinner arrived in Paris on the back of five consecutive titles, and had become only the second ever player to complete the Masters sweep.
Yet, his defeat stunned the tennis community, as Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo completed a sensational comeback from two sets down. Sinner’s struggles with heat have become a major talking point, and his loss opened up the field.
The second favorite was Novak Djokovic, who despite lean form and lingering fitness concerns, found his best shot at a 25th Grand Slam title, with both Alcaraz and Sinner no longer in contention.
However, 19-year-old Joao Fonseca had other ideas, as the Brazilian became only the second ever player to beat the Serbian from two sets up.
Daniil Medvedev and Marin Cilic, the only other Grand Slam winners in the top-50 ATP rankings, were knocked out in the opening round itself. Hence, a new champion is set to be crowned.
Alexander Zverev has already featured in three finals, but is yet to lift the elusive trophy. The German will have to beat Flavio Cobolli in the final.
On the WTA side, history will be made as Mirra Andreeva is set to take on Maja Chwalińska in the final. Chwalińska, the 24-year-old Polish left-hander, became only the second qualifier to reach the finals of a Grand Slam tournament.
Her ability to know her own game inside-out, and play on her opponents’ patience has helped her reap rewards.
Andreeva, in her first Major final, is the clear favourite. Having already won multiple Masters titles, she seems to be on track to win her first Slam at just 19 years of age.
Title contenders and past champions in Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina were all left stunned at different stages of the tournament.
The Roland Garros 2026 women’s and men’s singles finals will be held on June 6 and 7 respectively. The last such instance when maiden Grand Slam champions were crowned on both sides of the field, was back in 2021, when Emma Raducanu and Daniil Medvedev triumphed at the US Open.
Who will compete in the men’s singles final at French Open 2026?
Four-time Grand Slam finalist Alexander Zverev will face the now home favourite Flavio Cobolli for the men’s singles championship.
Who will compete in the women’s singles final at French Open 2026?
Russian Mirra Andreeva will meet Poland’s Maja Chwalinska, who had to go through qualifying to make her maiden Grand Slam final.
When was the last time two first time champions were crowned at Grand Slams?
The feat last occurred at the Australian Open earlier this year, when Carlos Alcaraz and Elena Rybakina won their maiden Championships at Down Under.
When was the last time two first time champions were crowned at Roland Garros?
Such an instance last occurred in 2016 when Novak Djokovic and Garbine Muguruza both won their maiden French Open crowns.
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.