Jannik Sinner, of Italy, executing a picture-perfect backhand volley against Holger Rune, of Denmark, at the 2022 ATP Sofia Open tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria
Takeaways from the surprising and memorable 2026 French Open
The proverb that “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link” applied perfectly to both French Open champions. Mirra Andreeva and Alexander Zverev dramatically improved their forehands by making them more aggressive.
No longer mere rallying shots or even occasionally timid point losers, their forehands became weapons to complement their strong backhands and powerful first serves. Both first-time major winners benefited from relatively easy draws; neither played a former Grand Slam champion or even a finalist.
So how Mirra and Sascha and their improved forehands fare against elite opponents on faster surfaces at Wimbledon and the US Open should prove interesting and revealing. By far the most engrossing and high-caliber match in either draw featured the GOAT in the twilight of his career and Prodigy in the accelerated learning phase of his. Joao Fonseca backed up the hype with a dynamic, come-from-behind 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 third-round victory over 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic.
True, the supremely fit The Djoker’s 39-year-old age eventually did him in after leading the 19-year-old Brazilian 3-1 in the deciding set. Near the end, the exhausted Serb didn’t run for some shots, but Fonseca showed he was more than a ferocious 100-mph forehand. He finished the 4-hour, 53-minute thriller with three consecutive 130-plus-mph aces! Fonseca showcased the all-court game, stamina, and hyper-competitiveness of a champion who can flourish now on hard courts and, eventually, on grass.
With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined and Jannik Sinner’s conditioning issues, Djokovic, who smacked 70 winners (versus only 39 unforced errors), should have an outside chance to win his eighth Wimbledon.
“He’s quite a talent,” praised all-time great John McEnroe. “He has the speed, the power. It’s just the beginning of the story, but he could be a big story for the next 15-20 years,” predicted former No. 1 Jim Courier. “I’m amazed a 17-year-old can be this strong physically after five hours,” said Tennis Channel analyst Jimmy Arias after French prodigy Moise Kouame belted 67 winners and won the last three points to outlast Paraguay’s Daniel Vallejo 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (8) in the French Open third round. That made the crowd-pleasing Kouame the fifth-youngest man to advance that far in the Open Era. Possessing a strongly built 6’3” physique, solid technique, an explosive serve, and an extremely mature mentality, he exudes confidence.
After being eliminated by Alejandro Tabilo 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(9), Moise said, “I have always known that I’m someone who can turn the match around, because I have done that very often when I was young. I knew I could do this again here. I was about to do it again. It’s a near miss, but mentally, I knew that this is a secret weapon that I can use if I need to use it.” If all that isn’t enough, the charismatic teen’s exuberant victory celebrations give sports fans still more to relish in coming years.
How can you not love Maja Chwalinska? From her heartwarming personal story—she overcame severe depression—to her riveting 500-1 underdog saga—she qualified and then streaked all the way to the final—No. 114-ranked Maja captivated Roland Garros spectators for nearly three weeks.
The undersized (5’5”) Polish lefty’s shocking run reminded me of 5’4” Jasmina Paolini’s 2024 breakthrough, reaching the Roland Garros and Wimbledon finals. Chwalinska’s playing style combined the clever creativity of Martina Hingis, the robust counter-punching of Angelique Kerber, and the beguiling touch of compatriot Agnieszka Radwanska.
Rooting for the lowest-ranked player to reach a Grand Slam final in WTA history, spectators chanted “Maja, Maja, Maja,” for the little underdog in every main draw match. As a suddenly new national heroine, incredibly, Maja’s last two matches scored higher TV ratings in Poland than all four of Iga Swiatek’s victorious finals at Roland Garros.
How can you explain Maja Mania? “Everyone likes an underdog,” said TNT Sports analyst Sam Querrey. “But Maja had something relatable to the club player at home.”
Other Books by Paul Fein
