The 2026 French Open draw has been completed, so we’ve ran our eye over it, and tried to predict the quarter-finalists. With Carlos Alcaraz withdrawn from the event, there’s no doubt Jannik Sinner is the clear favourite. But there will be a few other players fancying their chances of making a deep run.
Quarter 1:
Jannik Sinner lauds over the top quarter, and really, is there any point dissecting it further than this? He will cruise through this quarter. The only question will be who will his opponent in the quarter-final be? Ben Shelton is the highest seed, but there are a few others lurking that could cause trouble. Alexander Bublik made the quarter-finals last year, and with former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas as a potential floater, as well as Matteo Arnaldi (who played Tsitsipas is the 4th Rd 2 years ago) there could be some interesting matches.
Predicted quarter-final: Sinner v Bublik
Quarter 2:
Feliz Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev are the top seeds in this quarter. Auger-Aliassime will be hoping this is the year he can get past the 4th Rd, and despite Medvedev’s disdain for the clay, he has actaully been to the quarter-finals back in 2021. Other dangerous players in this quarter include Learner Tien and Valentin Vacherot (who are both only playing in their second ever French Open). Someone like Alejandro Tabilo could potentially put together a decent run here. However, I think we might see Flavio Cobolli jump out of the pack, and go deep this year. He has made the 3rd Rd before, and has a pretty favourable draw.
Predicted quarter-final: Auger-Aliassime v Cobolli
Quarter 3:
This is the quarter that looks the most fun/chaotic/interesting….choose your adjective. The list of seeded players who have claims here include Alex De Minaur, Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev. Then add a few of the lower seeded players, who absolutely have a chance, such as Jakob Mensik, Joao Fonseca, Tomas Etcheverry, and Tommy Paul, and we have some big matches coming up. But it doesn’t stop there. Unseeded players including Alexander Blockx, Dino Prizmic, Ignacio Buse, Hamad Medjedovic, and Lorenzo Sonego, make this an absolute minefield.
I can’t totally write off Djokovic in a Major, but I just don’t think he’s played enough matches leading in. De Minaur could be finding some form just in time, so perhaps he can get past some tricky opponents, while Ruud is always a danger in Paris. This really could go any way.
Predicted quarter-final: De Minaur v Ruud
Quarter 4:
It’s a shame Carlos Alcaraz isn’t taking his place here as second seed, but Alexander Zverev gets his chance to make it through, although he will find some challenges, with potential tricky meetings against Ugo Humbert and Arthur Fils. Taylor Fritz is the other top 8 seed here, and he will be hoping to break into a quarter-final here for the first time. However, there is a young Spanish player who all eyes will be on, with Rafael Jodar playing his first French Open, seeded 27. His stunning form would suggest he’s every chance to make it out of this quarter, but will the best of 5 sets, and the pressure get to him? I think he can get over potential hurdles of Fritz and Jiri Lehecka.
Predicted quarter-final: Jodar v Zverev
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