Jannik Sinner favorite at French Open

Jannik Sinner arrived at Roland Garros on Sunday as the men’s player to beat after Carlos Alcaraz withdrew before the tournament with a wrist injury. The French Open main draw began on May 24 in Paris, with Sinner entering as world No. 1 and carrying a 29-match winning streak, according to CBS Sports. The same report said Sinner is trying to complete the career Grand Slam in Paris after already winning the other three majors. Off court, the start of the tournament has also been shaped by a dispute over how Grand Slam revenue is shared with players. ### Why is Sinner being treated as such a clear favorite? Jannik Sinner entered the tournament with the strongest recent results in the men’s field. CBS Sports said he had won 29 consecutive matches and collected five ATP Masters 1000 titles this season — Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome — before arriving in Paris. ESPN’s ATP rankings page listed Sinner at No. 1 with 14,350 points, ahead of Alcaraz on 12,960. (cbssports.com) John McEnroe, speaking on a conference call promoted by Roland Garros before the draw, summed up the mood around the field in direct terms. “To me, ultimately, it’s Sinner against the field, and I’d take Sinner right now,” the seven-time major champion said, according to the tournament’s official site. (cbssports.com) ### What changed when Alcaraz pulled out? Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal removed the defending men’s champion and the player CBS Sports described as Sinner’s “nemesis.” CBS said Alcaraz, who had won the previous two French Open titles, pulled out of Roland Garros and later Wimbledon because of a wrist injury. That left Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic and Arthur Fils among the more prominent remaining challengers in the men’s draw. (rolandgarros.com) Roland Garros’ official site showed the men’s main draw starting on May 24 and running through June 7. The draw preview published by the tournament also framed the bracket around Sinner’s route through Paris, another sign of how heavily the event’s men’s storyline has tilted toward the Italian. (cbssports.com) ### What is at stake for Sinner in Paris? Paris offers Sinner a chance to complete the career Grand Slam. CBS Sports said outright that the world No. 1 “aims to complete the career grand slam” at this year’s French Open. If he wins the title, he would add Roland Garros to majors already won elsewhere in his career. (rolandgarros.com) The tournament’s official site also carried Sinner’s own pre-event comments under the headline, “Roland-Garros, des émotions très positives,” reflecting his comfort level arriving in Paris. The site did not frame that as a prediction, but it underscored that Sinner opened the fortnight in familiar territory as the top seed and central figure in the men’s draw. (cbssports.com) ### Why are players also fighting about prize money? The French Tennis Federation agreed to open talks with players after a pre-tournament protest over prize money and governance. The Guardian reported on May 23 that the FFT pledged to make “concrete proposals” within the next month. Associated Press reporting, carried by NBC Sports and U.S. News, said players had planned to reduce media appearances to protest what they said was too small a share of tournament revenue. (rolandgarros.com) Amélie Mauresmo, the tournament director, said before the main draw began that prize money for 2026 would not change during this year’s event. The official Roland Garros site had already said in April that organizers wanted to provide players with “the best possible conditions,” while outlining added services and tournament upgrades for 2026. (theguardian.com) ### What happens next in Paris? Roland Garros said the men’s and women’s main draw began on Sunday, May 24, and the tournament runs through Sunday, June 7, in Paris. CBS Sports said each singles champion will earn $3.2 million, while the FFT has separately committed to return to players within a month with proposals on prize money. Sinner’s path, and the pay dispute, will now unfold alongside the tournament itself. (aljazeera.com) (rolandgarros.com)