From the favorites to the underdogs: Ranking the F...
Key takeaways
- Jannik Sinner comes to Paris as a significant title favorite over the rest of the field combined, having won 29 matches in a row, 26 in straight sets.
- The bottom half of the men's draw is a fascinating mix of steely veterans (Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev) and thrilling young up-and-comers.
- Vibes aside, the French Open should be awfully fun.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
No. 1- ranked Jannik Sinner is the hands down favorite to win at Roland Garros. Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images Bill Connelly May 23, 2026, 12:26 PM ETClose Bill Connelly is a writer for ESPN. He covers college football, soccer and tennis. He has been at ESPN since 2019.Follow on XMultiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions. The vibes are odd as the tennis caravan reaches Roland Garros. Players are considering future Slam boycotts over prize money complaints, and injuries are impacting the player pool: Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka has been dealing with worrisome issues on the women's side, while seven-time Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz is out for at least the next two Slams with a wrist injury. (A couple of other potential men's contenders, Arthur Fils and Lorenzo Musetti, are also out with injury.)
Jannik Sinner comes to Paris as a significant title favorite over the rest of the field combined, having won 29 matches in a row, 26 in straight sets. The last player not named Alcaraz to beat him on clay was Stefanos Tsitsipas more than two years ago.
Even if we don't end up with much intrigue in the men's final two Sundays from now -- and even if Sinner plows his way through seven matches with minimal drama (something that rarely happens, even with the best players) -- a two-week tournament is a journey in itself. The bottom half of the men's draw is a fascinating mix of steely veterans (Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev) and thrilling young up-and-comers. Meanwhile, the depth of the women's tour has paid off quite a bit in recent Slams, and we should be in for quite a few big-name matchups starting early in the first week.