Jannik Sinner primed for career Grand Slam at Roland Garros

Jannik Sinner will head into the French Open as the most overwhelming favourite to win the men's title since Rafael Nadal's heyday, with the career Grand Slam firmly in his sights. His great rival Carlos Alcaraz, who beat him in a dramatic Roland Garros final last year, has been ruled out through injury.

What is a career Grand Slam and can Sinner complete one at Roland Garros?

A career Grand Slam means winning all four major titles: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. Sinner has won three. Victory in Paris would make him the ninth man to complete the set, following Alcaraz, who achieved the feat at the Australian Open earlier this season.

Sinner arrives in Paris in the form of his life. He romped to the Italian Open title on Sunday, beating Caspar Ruud 6-4, 6-4, becoming only the second player after Novak Djokovic to win all nine Masters 1000 tournaments. The 24-year-old has won six consecutive Masters titles and is on a record-breaking 34-match winning streak at that level.

Ruud, who has never taken a set off Sinner in five meetings, was candid about the size of the challenge facing every other contender for the Coupe des Mousquetaires. "I never played the big three in their prime," he said after being beaten in Rome. "But I'm sure Roger, Novak, Rafa at 25, 26 years old was also the same feeling for the other players. I don't see him getting any worse, unfortunately."

How has Sinner performed heading into the 2025 French Open?

Sinner has lost just twice in 10 tournaments since retiring injured against Tallon Griekspoor in Shanghai last September. Czech Jakub Mensik beat him in the Doha quarter-finals in February, and Djokovic produced a vintage display to defeat him in the Australian Open semi-finals. Beyond those two results, his record has been virtually flawless.

He reached the 2025 Roland Garros final without dropping a set before missing three championship points as Alcaraz staged a remarkable comeback from two sets down to claim the trophy. The manner of that near-miss only sharpens his motivation to go one better this year.

Who are Sinner's main rivals at Roland Garros 2026?

Djokovic remains the most likely man to deny Sinner, despite struggling for form and fitness since losing to Alcaraz in the Melbourne final. The Serb, who turns 39 shortly before the tournament, has beaten Sinner five times in 11 meetings and has reached at least the semi-finals at each of the past five majors. He is still chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title, having not won one since equalling Margaret Court's all-time record tally at the 2023 US Open.

However, Djokovic's recent results give cause for concern. He has played only two events since the Australian Open, losing to Jack Draper in the Indian Wells last 16 and then falling to Croatia's Dino Prizmic in his opening match in Rome.

Alexander Zverev steps up to second seed in Alcaraz's absence but has given little reason to believe he can deliver at a major. The world number three has lost in three finals and nine semi-finals since last winning an ATP tournament in Munich 13 months ago, and has lost nine successive meetings with Sinner, the last six in straight sets.

Which other players could make a deep run at Roland Garros?

Home hopes are high for Arthur Fils, who has enjoyed a strong return from injury this season. France has not had a men's quarter-finalist at Roland Garros since Richard Gasquet in 2016. Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar will be seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time after an impressive clay-court campaign, while Brazilian fans will be out in force to support rising star Joao Fonseca.

Everything points to Sinner lifting the trophy on Court Philippe Chatrier on June 7. Should he do so, the only major achievement missing from his still-young career would be an Olympic gold medal.