Over the course of the last two years, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have forged a duopoly on the ATP tour that is seemingly unbreakable. Throughout 2025, the two superstars faced off in three of the four Grand Slam finals, with the Spaniard edging out his Italian rival at the French and US Open, while Sinner managed to add a maiden Wimbledon crown to the Australian Open he already owned, courtesy of victory against Alexander Zverev in Melbourne at the start of the year.
Ahead of next year’s Roland Garros, the marquee clay court tournament, online tennis betting sites make the planet’s current top two the favorites to gun for glory once more. The latest tennis lines Bovada currently price both men as the 6/4 joint favorites to leave Paris with the title next June, and the duo are similarly difficult to split throughout all four of next year’s Slams. But what of the chasing pack?
For all of Rafael Nadal’s dominance over the last two decades, the French Open is a competition where the underdog can thrive. The unpredictability of the clay surface can sometimes throw a spanner in the works, as we saw back in 2009 when unheralded Swede Robin Söderling caused a seismic upset against the aforementioned Nadal. But which stars are primed and ready to spring the shock in 2026? Here are our picks.
Possibly Nadal’s last time at #RolandGarros, what a run it’s been 🎾🐐
— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) May 27, 2024
Alexander Zverev
If anyone embodies persistence and pain on Paris’s dirt, it’s Alexander Zverev. The German has become synonymous with the French Open’s deep stages, posting seven consecutive quarterfinals or better, culminating with his maiden appearance in the final in 2023. That ultimately would end in heartbreak at the hands of a Carlos Alcaraz determined to inherit compatriot Nadal’s King of Clay throne, and while 2025 was disappointing, Zverev can never be ruled out.
His numbers remain as persuasive as ever, with a collection of spring titles headlined by another Munich romp testament to that. But what elevates him from mere contender to genuine threat in 2026? Maturity, both tactical and emotional. Freed from off-court turmoil and bolstered by his most complete serve since turning pro. Any scenario in which Sinner or Alcaraz stutters—fatigue, erratic form, the wrong wind on the wrong day—immediately bolsters the German sensation’s hopes.
Casper Ruud
Casper Ruud’s relationship with the French Open is bittersweet: full of heartbreak, resolve, and steadfast progress. Bursting onto the scene with back-to-back finals in 2022 and 2023, the Norwegian superstar unfortunately ran into the two greatest players that have ever lived, namely Nadal and Djokovic, and was duly dismantled before the world’s eyes on both occasions. Even so, Ruud keeps coming, undiminished by past shortcomings and determined to leave his stamp on the City of Lights once and for all.
The 26-year-old’s game is based on his hero Nadal, and that is exactly why he is such a threat in Paris. Built around heavy topspin and a willingness to endure more than most, Ruud thrives in matches that test his endurance, both mental and physical. His 2025 Monte Carlo semifinal reminded doubters that he owns the patience and poise to weather any storm, but the question remains as to whether he can shed the pressure of successive near-misses and seize the pivotal points that define champions. If the answer is yes, Ruud has every ingredient required to destabilize the favorites in a five-set cauldron.
Lorenzo Musetti
No player on tour projects such visual poetry on clay quite like Lorenzo Musetti. Every one-handed backhand is a painting; every looping drop shot is a risk, a taunt, and a challenge. In 2025, the Italian strung together a Monte Carlo final, Madrid and Rome semifinals, and a French Open last-four run that had fans and pundits alike singing the praises of his improvisational genius. Now, the pressure is on to mount a serious crack at a Grand Slam final, and the most likely place for that is Roland Garros.
What stands out is Musetti’s ability to force heavy hitters out of their comfort zone, courtesy of his variety and willingness to play against type. Now 24, his confidence has caught up to his talent, and the misfortune of injury that cost him dearly last French Open appears behind him. If the draw tilts favorably and Musetti lands in the zone, his game can short-circuit any opponent, even those whose power and precision seem insurmountable on paper.
Arthur Fils
Every French Open produces at least one Parisian fairy tale, but the fact remains that no Frenchman has reigned supreme on home turf since Yannick Noah’s shock triumph back in 1983. Over four decades on from that upset, 20-year-old Arthur Fils is writing his own story in indelible ink. A title in Lyon, a place in the world’s top 15, and eye-catching Roland Garros upsets made the youngster the darling of French tennis.
Fils is the ultimate modern disruptor: his serve is a cannon, his forehand cracks from impossible angles, and the crowds unleash waves of energy every time he steps on court. There’s still an air of unpredictability—youthful errors and soaring confidence exist in equal measure—but that volatility is precisely what makes him dangerous to established order. If Fils controls the chaos, chases his shots, and ignites a raucous Parisian crowd to rally behind him, he could make the leap from hopeful to hero on tennis’ grandest red stage.
