​First-timers: On the French Open 2026

The triumphs of Alexander Zverev and Mirra Andreeva at the French Open for their maiden Grand Slam singles titles appear to have evoked contrasting feelings in both. For 29-year-old Zverev, the rousing five-set victory over Italian Flavio Cobolli brought more relief than unbridled joy, for he had lost thrice before in a Major final and was long considered among the best players to have never won a Slam. But for Andreeva, the straight-forward win over the unheralded qualifier Maja Chwalinska — albeit under testing windy conditions — was a journey to seventh heaven and a realisation of her prodigious teenaged promise. Both players benefitted from notable absences and a plethora of upsets, so much so that neither faced a top-10 opponent all tournament. Among men, Carlos Alcaraz withdrew while red-hot favourite Jannik Sinner and 24-time Major winner Novak Djokovic fell by the third round. In the ladies section, none among Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina reached the semifinals. But in fairness, both Zverev and Andreeva were pedigreed. Zverev was — and still is — World No. 3, has been in the top-4 for the last two years, and in the top-10 for a good part of the last decade. Andreeva reached the Roland-Garros semifinal as a 17-year-old in 2024, entered the top-10 in early 2025 after back-to-back successes in Dubai and Indian Wells, and has maintained that status.

Zverev is just the third German man in the Open Era to win a Slam and the first to do so in Paris. The victory will also go a long way in erasing a few painful memories he has experienced on Court Philippe-Chatrier. In 2022, he limped out of his semifinal against Rafael Nadal on crutches after damaging his right ankle in the second set. In 2024, he was up two sets to one against Alcaraz in the final before falling apart. The 2026 edition, which snapped Alcaraz and Sinner’s combined winning streak of nine Majors, is his redemption song. Andreeva’s career, in contrast, is yet to experience the vagaries of the tennis tour. After first making waves as a 16-year-old qualifier in 2023, reaching the round of 32 at the French Open and the round of 16 at Wimbledon, the Russian shot up to No. 5 by July 2025. Andreeva has competed in 13 Slams so far, and has reached the fourth round or better in eight. It is a remarkable record for someone who is yet to turn 20, and her dash to the title over the previous fortnight for the loss of just one set is confirmation of her elite status.