Without Sinner. Without Djokovic. Without Gauff or Rybakina. Roland-Garros 2026 enters its second week unlike any edition since the Open Era. This Monday, June 1st, the Round of 16 concludes with two gala matches - and an intergenerational clash in the evening session.
The Schedule for Monday, June 1st at Roland-Garros
Round of 16 - June 1st, 2026
- Diane Parry (FRA) vs Maja Chwalińska (POL, Q) — Chatrier.
- Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs his opponent of the day — Lenglen.
- Aryna Sabalenka (No. 1) vs Naomi Osaka (No. 16) — evening session, Chatrier.
A Devastated Draw, Unprecedented Since 1968
The statistic says it all. According to Opta, it's a first in Grand Slam history since the ATP rankings were created in 1973: six players ranked outside the world's Top 50 have reached the Round of 16 at Roland-Garros 2026. The top seeds have fallen one after another during the first week, in a sequence of results that has transformed the draw into uncharted territory.
On the men's side, the record is striking. Jannik Sinner - world No. 1, 30 consecutive wins - exited the competition in the first week. Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and Alex De Minaur followed. The road to the men's final is now open to anyone who dares to believe, starting with Alexander Zverev, who is among the few remaining favorites after his Round of 16 victory on Sunday.
For the first time since the start of the Open Era in 1968, no former Grand Slam champion will be present in the quarterfinals of a Major. History is being written at Porte d'Auteuil.
On the women's side, the draw is no less open. Coco Gauff, the defending champion, fell before the Round of 16. Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, and Amanda Anisimova have also packed their bags. But at least two strong favorites remain in contention: world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and, until Sunday evening, Kostyuk, who caused the sensation by eliminating three-time champion Iga Świątek.
Sabalenka-Osaka: The Duel Tennis Has Been Waiting For
This is the first women's evening session at Roland-Garros since 2023. Aryna Sabalenka, world No. 1 and a winning machine, faces Naomi Osaka, seeded No. 16, in a clash that the organizers have carefully placed under the evening spotlight. Two generations, two radically different trajectories.
Sabalenka arrives as the logical favorite: she hasn't lost a set in the first week, her power on clay has stabilized since her erratic beginnings on the surface, and her backhand has once again become a weapon rather than a liability. Osaka, on the other hand, is playing on the goodwill of a Parisian crowd that has always cherished her – and on the uncertainty generated by her rebuilding game for all her opponents.
Diane Parry: France's Clay-Court Joan of Arc
Ranked World No. 92, Diane Parry was not expected in the second week. But after her exploit in the previous round – eliminating Amanda Anisimova – the Frenchwoman enters her first Grand Slam Round of 16 with a mixture of serenity and recklessness reminiscent of the great French epics at Roland-Garros. Facing her, Poland's Maja Chwalińska, a qualifier, does not present an insurmountable obstacle.
Paris is watching. Chatrier, which hosts Sabalenka-Osaka in the evening, will first see Parry-Chwalińska. An atmospheric gift that the Frenchwoman may know how to transform into fuel.
Finals in Sight: June 6th and 7th
The women's final is scheduled for June 6th, and the men's final for June 7th, on the Philippe-Chatrier court. With such a draw, the 2026 edition could produce finalists that no one had on their list at the start of the week. The tournament's record prize money - €61.7 million in 2026 - awaits its winner. Whoever it may be.
Editorial Opinion
Grand Slams do not favor chance; they favor dynasties. Roland-Garros 2026 does the opposite, and that's for the best. An open draw means a returning audience, daring players, a final watched without knowing the outcome. For two weeks, Parisian clay becomes what it should never have ceased to be: a theater.
Key Takeaways
- Six players outside the Top 50 in the Round of 16: a first since the establishment of the ATP rankings in 1973.
- First women's evening session since 2023: Sabalenka (No. 1) vs. Osaka (No. 16).
- Diane Parry (92nd) challenges Chwalińska on Chatrier.
- No former Grand Slam champions in the quarterfinals - a first in the Open Era.
- Finals: women on June 6th, men on June 7th; prize money €61.7M.
