The wait for the 2026 French Open is almost over, and a remarkable group of unseeded players will have their sights set on upsetting the odds and spoiling the party. We have seen some incredible Cinderella stories at Roland Garros over the years, with the single-elimination format of tennis giving unseeded players the perfect opportunity to spring big shocks against the top seeds.
Here’s the lowdown on some unseeded players who look well-positioned to make their mark on the Grand Slam stage at the French Open.
Men’s Singles
Alexander Blockx against Alex de Minaur (Second Round)
The highly-rated Belgian is arguably the most dangerous unseeded player in the men’s draw. He goes into the French Open on the back of a semifinal run in Madrid and a Round of 16 appearance in Monte-Carlo. His last four defeats have come against top-10 players, and he pushed Ben Shelton and Alex de Minaur all the way in Munich and Monte-Carlo, respectively.
With an 11-5 win-loss record in 2026, Blockx is primed for a breakout run on his French Open main draw debut. He will face lucky loser Coleman Wong in the first round, followed by a potential second-round matchup against de Minaur.
After losing 5-7, 6-7 (4) to de Minaur in Monte-Carlo, he will have revenge on his mind. The Australian is also by no means a strong clay-court player, and the towering Blockx could take advantage by creating awkward angles and forcing him into errors by slowing things down.
Dino Prižmić against João Fonseca (Second Round)
After claiming a spectacular win over Novak Djokovic in Rome, Prižmić will be eyeing a strong showing on his French Open debut. He faces qualifier Michael Zheng in the opening round, followed by a possible second-round meeting against João Fonseca.
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Prižmić has been playing clay-court tennis since February and also holds a junior title at Roland Garros. He has a strong sliding technique and is a solid baseliner.
With Djokovic, Tommy Paul, and Casper Ruud the other players in this section, the 20-year-old will fancy his chances of making a big splash in Paris.
Ignacio Buse against Andrey Rublev (First Round)
Fresh off a run to the final in Hamburg, Buse will be looking to make another big splash at the French Open. The 22-year-old has already had some success on clay this year, and showcased his quality on the red dirt by seeing off Flavio Cobolli, Jakub Menšík, and Ugo Humbert in Hamburg.
Buse will be full of confidence after his impressive showing at the ATP 500 tournament, and he will be up against Andrey Rublev in the first round. While the Russian is adept on clay, his inconsistent run this season could make him an upset candidate.
Other possible unseeded players who could make a splash at the French Open include Hamad Medjedovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Thiago Tirante.
Women’s Singles
Barbora Krejčíková against Hailey Baptiste (First Round)
Having already won the French Open as an unseeded player, Barbora Krejčíková will look to go on another strong run at Roland Garros. She has been affected by injuries recently, but has shown glimpses of her quality on clay this season. Back on the big stage, the two-time Grand Slam champion will be eager to script another Cinderella run.
The 30-year-old begins her French Open campaign against Hailey Baptiste. Their head-to-head is currently at 1-1, with Krejčíková triumphing in their only match on clay.
Baptiste is coming off a stellar run in Madrid, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka, Jasmine Paolini, and Belinda Bencic. However, she has struggled for consistency and could be on upset alert in Paris against an experienced campaigner in Krejčíková.
Zheng Qinwen against Elise Mertens (Second Round)
Another player still fighting her way back to the best after a long injury lay-off, Zheng Qinwen is primed for a strong showing at the French Open. She reached the quarterfinals of the French Open last year and won the Olympic gold medal in women’s singles at Roland Garros two years ago.
Zheng’s section appears to be wide open, with 23rd seed Elise Mertens a possible second-round opponent. With a strong clay-court résumé and some encouraging performances this year already under her belt, the 23-year-old will feel that she can go far at the French Open.
Maria Sakkari against Linda Nosková (First Round)
A former semifinalist at Roland Garros, Sakkari will have the perfect opportunity to make another deep run at the French Open this year. The 30-year-old has a playing style well-suited to clay, and her powerful groundstrokes could make life difficult for her opponents.
In the first round, Sakkari will face Linda Nosková. Their head-to-head is tied at 1-1, with Sakkari coming out on top in their last meeting in Adelaide in 2025.
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Sakkari is in the same section as Zheng and will fancy her chances of making a big splash in Paris if she can rediscover her 2021 form.
Other unseeded players to watch at the French Open include the highly rated Nikola Bartůňková, Tereza Valentová, and last year’s breakout star Loïs Boisson.
