Sinner and Djokovic drawn into opposite halves, setting up potential Roland‑Garros final

Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic landed in opposite halves of the 2026 Roland-Garros men’s draw at Thursday’s official ceremony in Paris. The placement means the top-seeded Sinner and third-seeded Djokovic cannot meet before the championship match on June 7. Main-draw play begins Sunday, May 24, at Stade Roland-Garros, with Sinner arriving as the top-ranked player in the ATP standings and Djokovic chasing another major title. Carlos Alcaraz is not in the field because of injury, adding to the attention on the top half-bottom half split in the men’s bracket. ### Which side of the draw did Sinner and Djokovic get? Jannik Sinner was placed in the top half of the men’s draw, while Novak Djokovic was placed in the bottom half, according to the official Roland-Garros bracket and ATP Tour draw preview. That keeps the two apart until the final if both advance through seven rounds in Paris. The official draw lists Sinner as the No. 1 seed and Djokovic as the No. 3 seed. Alexander Zverev, the No. 2 seed, is also in Djokovic’s half, which means Djokovic would need to come through that section to reach the title match. ### Who do they play first in Paris? Clement Tabur, a French wild card, will face Sinner in the first round, the ATP Tour said. Sinner enters the tournament on a 29-match winning streak, according to the ATP’s tournament coverage. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, the French big server, drew Djokovic in the first round. The official bracket also places Joao Fonseca in Djokovic’s section, leaving open a possible third-round meeting if both progress. ### Why is Sinner’s path getting so much attention? The ATP Tour said Sinner is trying to become the seventh man in the Open Era to complete the career Grand Slam with a title run in Paris. The Italian has won the Australian Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon, but not Roland-Garros. Roland-Garros’ own draw preview said former champion and broadcaster John McEnroe described the field in direct terms before the tournament, saying, “To me, ultimately, it’s Sinner against the field.” That assessment came as Sinner arrived in Paris as the leading seed and with Alcaraz absent from the draw. ### What does Djokovic’s section look like? Novak Djokovic’s half includes Zverev and several younger players who have been highlighted in pre-tournament coverage. The official draw shows Casper Ruud in the same lower half, while ATP and other previews pointed to Fonseca as another possible obstacle before the later rounds. Djokovic is a three-time Roland-Garros champion, according to the ATP’s tournament guide. The Serbian is seeking another major title in Paris and enters the event from the opposite half of the bracket from the top seed, rather than on a collision course before the final. ### Where is the rest of the field positioned? Alexander Zverev is the No. 2 seed and sits in Djokovic’s half, while Felix Auger-Aliassime is the No. 4 seed and appears in Sinner’s half of the official bracket. Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Alex de Minaur are also spread through the draw. The official Roland-Garros draw also shows Arthur Fils paired with Stan Wawrinka in one of the first-round matches that drew attention after the ceremony. That matchup sits in the lower half alongside Zverev and Djokovic. ### When would a Sinner-Djokovic meeting happen? June 7 is the date of the men’s singles final in Paris, according to the ATP Tour’s tournament schedule. Because the bracket separates Sinner and Djokovic into opposite halves, that is the first round in which they could face each other. Sunday, May 24, is when main-draw singles play begins at Roland-Garros. The official draw and daily order of play will determine when Sinner, Djokovic, Zverev and the rest of the men’s field take the court in the opening rounds.