The 5 Best First-Round Matches at 2026 French Open

Five first-round showdowns stand out in a crowded field at Roland Garros.

Novak Djokovic is seeking his 25th Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The main draw for the 2026 French Open starts tomorrow, and there is no shortage of history-making matches projected in the later rounds. While it is a Major with no byes, there are still plenty of exciting first-round matches. From friends facing off to potential upsets, there are five matches that stand out above the rest in two competitive draws.

Iva Jovic vs. Alex Eala

Iva Jovic will face Alex Eala. | IMAGO / Photosport NZ

The next generation of WTA stars is not coming soon; it has already arrived. Two of the rising talents with incredibly bright futures are Iva Jovic and Alex Eala. The 17-seed Jovic enters the match with a 21-10 record, while the unseeded Eala is World No. 38 with an 18-12 record. Both contemporaries and friends have had good but not great clay court seasons. We just hate to see one of them lose in the first round.

Coco Gauff vs. Taylor Townsend

Coco Gauff will face Taylor Townsend. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The defending champion, Coco Gauff, enters Paris as the fourth seed with a 24-9 record. So far, this clay court season has not been as incredible as last year's, but she did reach the Italian Open final. Meanwhile, fellow American Taylor Townsend is World No. 72 with a 14-7.

Townsend is known for her stellar doubles play, but the 30-year-old could easily play spoiler in the women's singles draw. Townsend beat Gauff in the only meeting (way back in Charleston 2019). An upset seems unlikely, but a fun match for American tennis is guaranteed.

Hailey Baptiste vs. Barbora Krejcikova

Hailey Baptiste will face Barbora Krejcikova. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Hailey Baptiste has enjoyed a strong spring and enters Paris as the 26-seed with a 17-12 record. Meanwhile, the unseeded Barbora Krejcikova is World No. 42 with an 8-5 record. Baptiste enters as the favorite and has played four clay tournaments. But Krejcikova has looked solid in her two clay tournaments since returning from a back injury. This is a match to circle on your calendar tomorrow morning.

Novak Djokovic vs. Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard

Novak Djokovic will face Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard. | IMAGO / BSR Agency

Incredibly, Novak Djokovic is the third-seed despite playing just one match (a loss in Rome) since Indian Wells. In fact, Djokovic is just 7-3 on the season. He will either be fresh or rusty at Roland Garros.

Meanwhile, the unseeded Giovanni Mpetshi-Perricard was the 2024 ATP Most Improved Player and might have something to prove after his coach left him for Iga Swiatek. Plus, Mpetshi-Perricard's serve could cause problems for Djokovic. The two players have never faced off on the ATP Tour.

Alexander Zverev vs. Benjamin Bonzi

Alexander Zverev will face Benjamin Bonzi. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The second-seeded Alexander Zverev has a record of 28-9, and this might be one of the best chances for him to win a Major in his career, with Carlos Alcaraz out of the draw. However, Zverev is dealing with back issues, and the unseeded Benjamin Bonzi is just a month removed from taking a set off Jannik Sinner in Madrid. Zverev and Bonzi have never played each other on the tour level, but something tells us this could be an exciting match.