Felix Auger-Aliassime opens his 2026 French Open campaign against unseeded German Daniel Altmaier in a first-round matchup at Roland-Garros. The French-Canadian star enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed after reaching the semifinals of last year’s U.S. Open, which remains his best Grand Slam result to date. He will be looking to carry that momentum onto the clay in Paris and make another deep run in a major, but Altmaier represents an early test that should not be overlooked. While Auger-Aliassime is the favorite on paper, first-round matches at this level can be unpredictable, especially in a Grand Slam setting where pressure, form, and surface conditions all play a role. A strong start in Paris would help reinforce his status among the top contenders and offer another chance to measure himself against the sport’s elite, including No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner, who defeated him at the U.S. Open last year.
For viewers looking to watch the match without paying, the French Open clash between Auger-Aliassime and Altmaier is available to stream for free on 9Now. The platform is geo-restricted to Australia, but access can be obtained from other regions by using a VPN that connects through an Australian server. The setup involves signing up for a streaming-compatible VPN, downloading the app on a preferred device, selecting a server in Australia, and then visiting 9Now to begin watching the tournament live. This allows tennis fans outside Australia to follow the match and the wider French Open action without a local subscription.
The article also highlights ExpressVPN as the recommended VPN option for accessing 9Now and other geo-restricted sports streams. It notes that the service offers servers in 105 countries, apps for major platforms including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux, a strict no-logging policy, fast speeds, and support for up to 10 simultaneous connections. ExpressVPN is presented as a premium service with a 30-day money-back guarantee, making it possible for users to trial the service while streaming the tournament. A two-year plan is described as discounted, and a one-month option is also available for viewers who only need short-term access.
Overall, the matchup pits a highly seeded Canadian player with Grand Slam ambition against a dangerous but unseeded opponent in one of tennis’s biggest arenas. With free coverage available through 9Now and VPN access extending viewing options globally, fans can follow Auger-Aliassime’s first step in his 2026 French Open quest from virtually anywhere.
