Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic opposite halves

Roland Garros completed its 2026 main-draw ceremony in Paris on Thursday, setting up a men’s bracket that keeps Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic apart until a possible final. The official draw placed world No. 1 Sinner in the top half and three-time champion Djokovic in the bottom half, according to the ATP Tour and tournament schedule coverage. Thursday’s split was the central outcome of the men’s draw because it preserves the chance of a championship match between the Italian and the Serbian at the clay-court major. Tennis.com and ATP Tour draw coverage both highlighted that outcome after the ceremony in Paris. ### Which side of the bracket did Sinner land in? Jannik Sinner was drawn into the top half and will open against French wild card Clement Tabur, the ATP Tour said. (atptour.com) The 24-year-old arrived in Paris on a 29-match winning streak and is trying to complete the Career Grand Slam with a title at Roland Garros. Tennis.com said fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime landed in the same half as Sinner, while fifth seed Ben Shelton was Sinner’s projected quarterfinal opponent. (atptour.com) That gave the top section of the draw a clear shape immediately after Thursday’s ceremony. ### Where did Djokovic end up, and who could he meet early? (atptour.com) Novak Djokovic was placed in the opposite half and opens against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, according to the ATP Tour. The 38-year-old Serbian is seeking a 25th major title and could face Joao Fonseca in the third round, while Casper Ruud was listed by ATP Tour as a possible fourth-round opponent. (tennis.com) Alexander Zverev, the 2024 runner-up in Paris, is in the same half as Djokovic and opens against Benjamin Bonzi, ATP Tour coverage said. That alignment makes Djokovic-Zverev a potential semifinal rather than a title match. ### Why did the draw get attention beyond the top two names? Arthur Fils drew 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka in one of the most prominent first-round matches, Tennis.com reported. (atptour.com) ATP Tour coverage said Wawrinka is playing his final season, while Gael Monfils is also making his final Roland Garros appearance and will face Hugo Gaston. Tennis.com said the top three seeds all opened against French opponents, adding to local interest in the early rounds. The draw also placed several younger players, including Joao Fonseca and Rafael Jodar, on paths that could bring them into matches against higher seeds. ### What does the women’s draw mean for Emma Raducanu? (atptour.com) Emma Raducanu drew Argentina’s Solana Sierra in the first round, according to BBC Sport. The BBC described Sierra as a clay-court specialist, giving Raducanu a specific early test as the main draw begins. The Guardian’s draw coverage also focused on Raducanu’s opener alongside the men’s split between Djokovic and Sinner. (tennis.com) That kept British interest tied to both halves of the singles draw as play approached. ### When does the tournament start, and what comes next? Roland Garros said main-draw singles play starts on Sunday, May 24, at 11 a.m. local time, after qualifying and practice sessions during opening week. (bbc.com) The tournament schedule published by organizers runs through June 7 at Porte d’Auteuil in Paris. (theguardian.com) Sunday’s order of play will determine when Sinner, Djokovic and Raducanu begin their campaigns. The full draw and daily schedule are available through Roland Garros and the ATP Tour’s tournament coverage. (rolandgarros.com)