The 2026 edition of Roland Garros is shaping up to be one of the most fascinating Grand Slams for some time, largely due to the withdrawal of two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.
A year on from his historic comeback victory in the final against Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz pulled out of this year’s French Open due to a wrist injury.
His omission leaves last season’s runner-up, Sinner, in pole position to go all the way in Paris, but an opportunity for several players to reach a maiden major final has now presented itself.
Can any of these four players stop Jannik Sinner winning the French Open this year?
Is there anyone else you think could be a threat to Sinner?
Of course, 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic will once again be looking to clinch a record-extending number 25 following his incredible campaign at Melbourne Park in January.
But the next generation of tennis stars will bid to take advantage of Alcaraz’s withdrawal, and the frontrunner from that pack currently seems to be 21-year-old Frenchman Arthur Fils.
Arthur Fils’ golden opportunity at this year’s French Open
Fils has enjoyed a fantastic season on the ATP Tour in 2026 so far following his return from a long-term back injury.
After being sidelined for the second half of 2025, Fils came back to tour-level action in February and immediately hit a run of form.
He reached the final of the Qatar Open, the quarterfinals of Indian Wells, and the semifinals in Miami before clinching his first title since 2024 at the Barcelona Open.
Having advanced to the semifinals of this year’s Madrid Open, where he will take on Sinner, Fils’ live ATP ranking is 17th, an increase of eight places.
Is Arthur Fils a genuine threat to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner?
With Alcaraz’s withdrawal, Fils is currently on track to be a top 16 seed at Roland Garros, meaning he would face a top four seed in the fourth round.
If Fils manages to avoid being in the same quarter of the draw as Sinner, he will have a great chance at delivering his best-ever Grand Slam finish.
Should he advance past the fourth round at the upcoming Italian Open, Fils could capture an even higher seed in Paris, too.
Arthur Fils’ best Grand Slam results of his career so far
Though he has won four tour-level titles while also reaching a career-high ranking of 14th in the world, Fils has yet to announce himself on the Grand Slam stage.
His best result at a major is a fourth-round finish, which he managed at the Wimbledon championships in 2024.
Fils was denied a maiden quarterfinal appearance at the All England Club that year by Alex de Minaur, who beat him in four sets.
Due to injury, Fils has not competed at the last three Grand Slams and is set to feature at a major for the first time in 12 months at Roland Garros.
The last Frenchman to win Roland Garros was Yannick Noah, who did so during the 1983 season.
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