Medvedev exits French Open as Sinner targets career Grand Slam
The sixth seed’s defeat to wildcard Adam Walton marks a significant early exit, while Jannik Sinner’s historic Masters 1000 season positions him as the overwhelming favourite in the men’s draw.
Daniil Medvedev has become the highest-profile casualty at the French Open, suffering a first-round defeat to Australian wildcard Adam Walton. The loss extends Medvedev’s difficult history at Roland Garros, marking his seventh opening-round exit at the tournament. The match concluded in five sets, with Walton securing the victory 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.
In the men’s draw, Jannik Sinner stands as the overwhelming favourite to win his first French Open title. A victory would see him complete the career Grand Slam, joining an elite group of players who have won all four major titles. Sinner arrives in Paris following a dominant season, having become only the second man and the youngest player to win all nine Masters 1000 titles in a single campaign.
The women’s draw presents a competitive field, with defending champion Coco Gauff seeking redemption after a defeat in the Italian Open final. She is joined by Australian Open champion and last year’s runner-up Aryna Sabalenka, four-time Roland-Garros winner Iga Swiatek, and Elina Svitolina. Svitolina has re-established herself as a serious contender, having won her biggest title in eight years on clay in Rome recently.
Beyond the top seeds, the opening round saw a significant number of high-profile eliminations. Taylor Fritz, Jessica Pegula, and Linda Noskova were all ousted in the first round. Other notable exits included Alexander Bublik, Jiri Lehecka, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Tallon Griekspoor, and Corentin Moutet.
The tournament also saw withdrawals and retirements that affected the draw. Arthur Fils withdrew due to injury, while Cameron Norrie retired from his first-round match against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo when trailing 7-6 (7), 2-0. Further first-round losses were recorded by Ekaterina Alexandrova, Liudmila Samsonova, Clara Tauson, Leylah Fernandez, and Cristina Bucsa.
The French Open continues to unfold with a reshaped seed list, setting the stage for a tournament where Sinner’s pursuit of the career Grand Slam and the women’s field of contenders will remain the central narrative.
