Carlos Alcaraz French Open withdrawal: Five favourites and outsiders for Roland-Garros after champion's injury setback

Feliciano Lopez’s comments, made as soon as the Madrid Open started, were ill-timed and somewhat ill-considered.

Unsurprisingly, the Madrid Open tournament director’s statements that Carlos Alcaraz was an injury doubt for the French Open were met with opprobrium, given the loose manner in which they were made.

In truth, perhaps many were afraid to consider the possibility of the two-time defending champion not playing any part in this year’s event, 12 months after his epic five-set, five-hour, 29-minute victory over Jannik Sinner on Court Philippe Chatrier.

However, the cat was let out of the bag on Friday, as news eventually emerged that the seven-time Grand Slam champion will miss the 2026 Slam, ending his chances of a three-peat in the French capital.

History will be made in Paris this year, where a new champion will be crowned or a wily old veteran will exploit this opening to secure an elusive historic Grand Slam title.

With the clay season effectively turned upside down by one announcement, Sports Mole takes you through the challengers and outsiders for the 2026 French Open title.

French Open 2026: Who are the favourites?

Jannik Sinner

© Iconsport / Frederic Dides

A year after a chastening loss to his friendly rival on Philippe-Chatrier, Sinner returns as the undoubted favourite with the Spanish superstar missing.

The Italian star’s preparation heading into this year’s second Major is also different from 2025, when he returned from a three-month doping suspension just before the Italian Open — the third and final Masters tournament preceding Roland Garros — and without a big title on the dirt.

Nevertheless, Sinner came within one point of defeating Alcaraz on the latter’s favourite surface, only for the world No. 2 to save three championship points in the fourth set before winning the rip-roaring 2025 final.

This time, the four-time Grand Slam champion has claimed the crown in Monte-Carlo, dethroning Alcaraz in a two-set success, is the favourite to claim a maiden crown in Madrid to record five straight Masters 1000 wins and heads to Paris without having to worry about his friendly rival.

However, the 27-time ATP champion still has one person — on paper at least — to worry about.

Novak Djokovic

© Imago / AAP

If anyone had been asked at the turn of the year, then Djokovic defeating Sinner seemed far-fetched; however, the GOAT rolled back the years in Melbourne, “changing his number” on Arthur Ashe in January to end a five-match losing run against a player 14 years his junior.

But even that was not enough, as tennis enthusiasts finally got an answer to a question that had been asked for a while: could Djokovic beat both Sinner and Alcaraz en route to winning another Slam?

After requiring four hours and nine minutes to beat Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the semi-finals, the 38-year-old could not sustain his high-level opening set in the title match, ultimately losing to Alcaraz 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 in three hours.

Despite minimal action since the first Major of 2026 — the world No. 4’s only event was in Indian Wells — and with no clay-court action thus far, there are further question marks about the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

This would not be the first time, and most certainly not the last, as he looks to take advantage of a rare window of opportunity with Alcaraz missing.

Knowing Djokovic means knowing that the Serbian will be licking his lips at this chance and giving his all in the French capital. Is No. 25 imminent?

Alexander Zverev

Many contend that the German superstar is the greatest men’s player never to win a Grand Slam, but this is not another avenue to make previously made arguments.

Instead, it is worth mentioning how another chance has been presented to the world No. 3, who enters Roland Garros as the second seed, thereby avoiding Sinner until the very end if all goes to form.

Zverev trails in his head-to-head with the Italian, losing eight in a row after claiming four of their initial five meetings, including four on the spin.

However, he is winless in three years against the world No. 1, probably presenting his biggest headache ahead of the second Slam of 2026.

The four-time Roland Garros semi-finalist and 2024 finalist, though, returns to the scene of his near miss two years ago, aware of another chance to claim an elusive Major.

The 28-year-old, though, must answer three burning questions: can he solve his Sinner puzzle, can he finally defeat Djokovic in a completed match at a Slam if both men meet and can he avoid getting in his own way by playing passive tennis on the very crunch points?

Paris has offered Zverev hope of a maiden Slam, but it has also delivered gut-wrenching defeats — case in point: being forced to retire injured in the 2022 semi-final against Rafael Nadal — yet it may ultimately grant him his elusive Major.

French Open 2026: Who are the outsiders?

Lorenzo Musetti enters as a compelling dark horse, having flourished last season with a Monte-Carlo final appearance and semi-final runs at every Masters 1000 event before reaching the last four at Roland Garros.

Although building match fitness after sustaining an Australian Open injury, potential deep runs in Madrid and Rome could provide the momentum required for a shock triumph.

Conversely, the clay-court expertise of Casper Ruud remains undeniable. As the defending Madrid champion with an exceptional surface record and two previous French Open finals, losing to Nadal and Djokovic in 2022 and 2023, the Norwegian possesses the pedigree to capitalise if the favourites stumble, ensuring he remains a formidable threat in Paris.

With Alcaraz out, the throne in Paris is vacant. Is Djokovic destined for number 25 or is it finally time for Sinner or Zverev to rule the clay?

One way or another, history will be made in the French capital this summer.