French Open 2026 results: Jannik Sinner strengthens favourite status with efficient first-round victory
Jannik Sinner continued his dominant clay-court run by defeating Richard Tabur to extend his winning streak to 30 matches and move another step closer to the French Open title. The world number one has already won clay titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome during this surge, and his latest victory underlined why he remains the favorite at Roland Garros.
Sinner’s win in Rome was especially significant because it completed the full set of nine ATP Masters 1000 titles, an achievement known as the career Golden Masters. That milestone placed him among the most accomplished players on the ATP Tour and added further momentum heading into Paris.
Against Tabur, Sinner was in control from the start. He dictated the opening two sets with clean, aggressive shot-making, producing winners consistently while keeping unforced errors to a minimum. Tabur was unable to earn a single break point, a sign of how thoroughly Sinner managed the match from baseline to finish. The contest ended in two hours and eight minutes, with Sinner advancing comfortably.
The Italian’s route to the Coupe des Mousquetaires has become slightly clearer after the withdrawal of Carlos Alcaraz, removing one of the biggest possible hurdles from his section of the draw. Tuesday also brought major upsets in Sinner’s half, as sixth seed Daniil Medvedev and ninth seed Alexander Bublik were both eliminated in the opening round. Fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime survived, but only after a hard-fought five-set victory over world number 57 Daniel Altmaier.
Auger-Aliassime is now the highest-ranked player left in Sinner’s half, but the Canadian has struggled badly in this matchup, losing his last five meetings with the four-time Grand Slam champion. That history strengthens Sinner’s position as the clear frontrunner to reach the latter stages of the tournament.
Next, Sinner will face Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo, ranked 56th in the world, after Cerundolo knocked out Britain’s Jacob Fearnley on Tuesday. The matchup gives Sinner another chance to maintain his momentum and preserve his unbeaten streak on clay.
With his form, confidence and draw all working in his favor, Sinner is entering the French Open as one of the most feared players in the field. His combination of patience, power and consistency on clay has made him extremely difficult to challenge, and his recent results suggest he is peaking at the right time.
