Sinner, Sabalenka Lead Roland Garros Charge as Gauff, Osaka Aim for Third Round

Posted : 28 May 2026

Men’s world number one Jannik Sinner continues his pursuit of a maiden Roland Garros title as he steps up his campaign in Paris, while women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka also looks to secure a place in the last 32 of the tournament.

Sinner arrives in Paris in dominant form after completing a clean sweep of all three clay-court Masters titles, becoming only the second player after Novak Djokovic to win all nine ATP Masters 1000 events. His consistency has strengthened his status as the leading contender for the title, particularly with reigning rival Carlos Alcaraz sidelined through injury.

The Italian will begin Thursday’s Centre Court action against Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, aiming to build on his first-round victory under the lights on Court Philippe Chatrier. Sinner, who has only faced the Argentine once before at Wimbledon, remains unfazed by the conditions, saying he is comfortable playing both day and night despite the ongoing heat in Paris.

In the women’s draw, Sabalenka’s early-season dominance has been tested on clay after strong performances on hard courts earlier in the year. The Belarusian, who claimed both Indian Wells and Miami titles, suffered disappointing results in Madrid and Rome but appears more settled in the warmer Paris conditions.

After a convincing opening win over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Sabalenka noted that rising temperatures have improved playing conditions for her aggressive baseline style. She will next face France’s Elsa Jacquemot on Centre Court, where forecasts suggest temperatures could again exceed 30°C.

Elsewhere, defending champion Coco Gauff continues her title defence against qualifier Mayar Sherif, while four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka is set for a challenging clash with Croatia’s Donna Vekić.

Other notable matches include rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko against Katerina Siniaková, and American teen Iva Jovic facing compatriot Emma Navarro.

Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime will also look for a more controlled performance after a turbulent first-round win when he meets Argentina’s Roman Andrés Burruchaga, while American fifth seed Ben Shelton and French wildcard Moïse Kouamé headline action on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Sinner, Sabalenka Lead Roland Garros Charge as Gauff, Osaka Aim for Third Round

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