French Open 2026 draw: Raducanu faces Sierra as Sinner emerges as Alcaraz replacement favourite
British number one Emma Raducanu is drawn against Argentine clay-court specialist Solana Sierra in the opening round, while Jannik Sinner becomes the overwhelming title favourite following Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal.
The French Open 2026 draw has set a challenging opening round for British number one Emma Raducanu, who has been paired against Argentine clay-court specialist Solana Sierra. Ranked 37th in the world, Raducanu missed out on a seeding for the Roland Garros tournament, leaving her exposed to a tough early test against the 64th-ranked Sierra, who recently took a set from reigning champion Coco Gauff in Madrid.
While the draw avoided an immediate clash with a top-tier opponent, the prospect of a second-round meeting with Italy’s Jasmine Paolini looms. Raducanu’s return to competitive action has been hampered by a virus that kept her out of play for two months, culminating in a straight-sets defeat to Diane Parry in Strasbourg. She has since rehired Andrew Richardson, the coach who guided her to the 2021 US Open title, after parting ways with Francisco Roig.
In the men’s draw, the landscape has shifted significantly following the injury withdrawal of two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz. Italy’s Jannik Sinner is now considered the overwhelming favourite for the title, having won the Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome clay-court titles as part of a 29-match winning streak. Sinner begins his bid to become only the 10th man to complete the career Grand Slam against French wildcard Clement Tabur.
Three-time champion Novak Djokovic faces a difficult start in his pursuit of a record 25th major victory. The 39-year-old opens against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, a huge server coached by former British number one Greg Rusedski. While Mpetshi Perricard has won seven of his 10 tour-level matches on clay, Djokovic’s sparse schedule and limited recent match play present a potential hurdle to finding his rhythm early in the tournament.
Other British players also face stern challenges in the opening rounds. Cameron Norrie, Britain’s only seeded male player, is drawn against Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo. Jacob Fearnley faces Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo, with a likely second-round clash against world number one Sinner. In the women’s singles, Katie Boulter opens against American wildcard Akasha Urhobo, while Francesca Jones faces Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia.
