TOPSHOT – Italy’s Jannik Sinner tries to cool down during a break of play in his men’s singles match against Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo on day 5 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on May 28, 2026. (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP via Getty Images)
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The oddsmakers made Jannik Sinner such a favorite to win the 2026 French Open that his trophy ceremony at Roland Garros seemed inevitable. Yet Sinner, the No. 1 ranked player and reigning Australian Open champion, joined several top seeds upset in the first two rounds of the French Open.
Juan Manuel Cerundolo, the younger brother of No. 25 seed Francisco Cerundolo, stunned Sinner 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.
Sinner led 6-3, 6-2, 5-1 before he wilted in the record heat at Roland Garros. Cerundolo noticed Sinner’s movement deteriorating in the third set.
“I started to notice that something like wasn’t good, because I mean he was beating me pretty easy, if I have to say so,” Cerundolo said. “Why should he change the tactic, you know, and make the point shorter if he, he doesn’t need?”
Sinner’s loss is the biggest upset of the tournament, and perhaps the year. With Carlos Alcaraz and clay-court contenders Arthur Fils and Lorenzo Musetti out with injuries, Sinner’s exit leaves Roland Garros wide open. Novak Djokovic, who hopes to win his 25th Grand Slam title, advanced to the third round.
With the Sincaraz roadblock gone, Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud, both three-time Major finalists, have to feel better about their chances. If Zverev, Ruud or Djokovic don’t win this year’s French Open, that would be a big upset too.
The following are the other biggest upsets at this year’s French Open.
Elena Rybakina: No. 2 Seed
TOPSHOT – Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina reacts to a point against Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva during their women’s singles match on day 4 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Suzanne-Lenglen at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on May 27, 2026. (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP via Getty Images)
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Before Sinner’s loss, Elena Rybakina was the highest seed upset.
The 2026 Australian Open champion blew a chance to overtake Aryna Sabalenka at No. 1. Yuliia Starodubtseva defeated Rybakina 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10-4). Rybakina made 71 unforced errors.
“It’s just a pity, because I think I was practising well before the French Open,” said Rybakina in her post-match press conference. “Today it was a very bad performance with too many unforced errors.”
Jessica Pegula: No. 5 Seed
PARIS, FRANCE – MAY 26: Jessica Pegula of the United States reacts while playing against Kimberly Birrell of Australia in the first round on Day Three of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on May 26, 2026 in Paris, France (Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)
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Like Rybakina, Jessica Pegula had a No. 1 ranking in sight. Pegula has a chance to leave Roland Garros as the No. 1 ranked American, replacing Coco Gauff.
Australian Kimberly Birrell defeated Pegula, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, despite winning fewer points (76-80). It was Birrell’s first win at Roland Garros.
“So happy I was able to play probably the best match I’ve played on clay, and able to play during a Grand Slam, especially here, it’s really really special,” Birrell said in an interview with WTA Tour staff.
Pegula can still rise to No. 4 if Gauff fails to reach the final.
Ben Shelton: No. 6 Seed
PARIS, FRANCE – MAY 28: Ben Shelton of United States looks over the net during their Men’s Singles second round match against Raphael Collignon of Belgium on Day Five of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on May 28, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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Other than a clay-court title in Munich, Shelton’s recent results have been mixed at best. Yet with Sinner out, Shelton was suddenly one of the highest-ranked players remaining in the top half of the draw.
Perhaps expectations got to Shelton, who lost in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4, to No. 62-ranked Raphael Collignon of Belgium.
Collignon deserves credit. He hit 30 winners, just 13 unforced errors, and landed 88 percent of his first serves.
“I was very solid from the beginning to the end, very stable,” Collignon said. “I’m really happy about the way I played today. I was really into the match from beginning to end.
Since winning the title in Munich, Shelton has lost four of his last five matches.
Taylor Fritz: No. 7 Seed
PARIS, FRANCE – MAY 24: Taylor Fritz of US in action against Nishesh Basavareddy (not seen) of US during a first-round men’s singles match on the first day of the French Open (Roland Garros) in Paris, France on May 24, 2026. (Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Taylor Fritz was a day-one casualty at the French Open, falling to fellow American Nishesh Basavareddy 7-6(5), 7-6(5), 6-7(9), 6-1.
“I really don’t think my level was that bad, to be honest. All things considered, I thought actually I played all right,” said Fritz in his post-match press conference. “He was hitting insane drop shots, off balls that were landing on the baseline. He killed me with that, and there’s not really much I can do about it. . .He really cooked me with the drop shots today.”
Alexander Bublik: No. 9 Seed
26 May 2026, France, Paris: Tennis: Grand Slam/ATP Tour – French Open, Singles, Men, 1st round, Bublik (Kazakhstan) – Struff (Germany). Alexander Bublik reacts. Photo: Frank Molter/dpa (Photo by Frank Molter/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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Alexander Bublik was a quarterfinalist at the French Open last year. He’s also one of the few men in the draw with a win over Sinner in the past two years. But German Jan-Lennard Struff defeated Bublik 7-5, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-5. Struff holds a 4-3 record against Bublik.
Jasmine Paolini: No. 13 Seed
PARIS, FRANCE – MAY 27: Jasmine Paolini of Italy reacts in action against Solana Sierra of Argentina in the second round on Day Four of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on May 27, 2026 in Paris, France (Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)
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Earlier this month, Jasmine Paolini celebrated 100 consecutive weeks in the Top 10. She’s the first Italian woman to do so.
Despite recent injury struggles, Paolini hoped to recapture the magic that propelled her to the 2024 French Open final.
The first hint that Paolini wasn’t feeling her best came when she declined to play doubles with compatriot Sara Errani. The pair were defending doubles champions at Roland Garros.
Still, Paolini got off to a 6-3, 4-2 start against No. 68-ranked Solana Sierra of Argentina. Sierra won 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Paolini was in tears during her post-match interview.
Jelena Ostapenko: No. 29 Seed
PARIS, FRANCE – MAY 27: Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia reacts against Magda Linette of Poland during the Women’s Singles second round match during Day Four of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on May 27, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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Other players seeded higher than Jelena Ostapenko didn’t make the biggest upset list. Linda Noskova, the 12th seed, lost to Maria Sakkari. But Sakkari is regaining her Top 10 form. Daniil Medvedev’s first-round loss looks shocking because of Medvedev’s resume. But it was Medvedev’s seventh first-round loss in his 10 appearances at Roland Garros.
What makes Ostapenko’s loss a huge upset is the anticipated third-round matchup between her and Iga Swiatek. Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, is 6-0 against Swiatek. So when the draw came out, tennis fans circled that possible encounter.
It won’t happen. Swiatek’s Polish compatriot Magda Linette defeated Ostapenko 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. Today, Swiatek’s defeated Linette in straight sets to reach the fourth round. Big upsets clear paths, even for four-time French Open champions.