French Open 2026 Day Six Recap

The upsets saved coming at Roland Garros on Friday, with Novak Djokovic becoming a member of the rising record of big-name casualties after a five-set defeat to Joao Fonseca underneath the lights on Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier.

In what’s quickly turning into probably the most unpredictable males’s attracts in current Grand Slam reminiscence, Fonseca rallied from two units right down to knock out the 24-time main champion, only a day after Jannik Sinner’s shock exit.

Casper Ruud additionally needed to dig himself out of a two-set gap to outlive in opposition to Tommy Paul, whereas Jakub Mensik, Jesper de Jong, and Rafael Jodar continued the event’s youth motion with assertion wins of their very own.

Elsewhere, Andrey Rublev navigated a harmful conflict with Nuno Borges in straight units, and Pablo Carreno Busta rolled again the years to succeed in the fourth spherical in Paris for the primary time since 2020.

Day Six French Open 2026 Spherical of 32 Outcomes

Winner
Loser
Rating

Joao Fonseca (28)
Novak Djokovic (3)
4-6 4-6 6-3 7-5 7-5

Andrey Rublev (11)
Nuno Borges
7-5 7-6(2) 7-6(2)

Casper Ruud (15)
Tommy Paul (24)
4-6 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(4) 7-5

Rafael Jodar (27)
Alex Michelsen
7-6(2) 6-7(5) 4-6 6-3 6-3

Jakub Mensik (26)
Alex De Minaur (8)
0-6 6-2 6-2 6-3

Jesper De Jong (LL)
Karen Khachanov (13)
7-5 5-7 6-2 6-7(2) 6-2

Pablo Carreno Busta
Thiago Agustin Tirante
7-6(0) 7-5 3-6 6-4

Alexander Zverev (2)
Quentin Halys
6-4 6-3 5-7 6-2

Key Matches

Joao Fonseca (28) def. Novak Djokovic (3) 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5

Joao Fonseca produced one other large upset of the event up to now, recovering from two units right down to stun Novak Djokovic in a four-hour, 53-minute epic on Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier.

Djokovic seemed in management after taking the primary two units 6-4, 6-4, however Fonseca’s ball-striking started to punch holes within the Serbian’s defence because the match wore on. The Brazilian took the third set 6-3, then saved two break factors at 3-4, 15/40 within the fourth earlier than ultimately forcing a decider.

Even then, Djokovic seemed to have steadied himself when he moved forward 3-1 within the fifth, however Fonseca refused to fade. The 19-year-old received six of the ultimate eight video games and, fittingly, closed it out with three consecutive aces after going through a break level when serving for the match.

Fonseca completed with 68 winners to Djokovic’s 70, and 47 unforced errors to Djokovic’s 39, however the important thing distinction was his fearlessness within the greatest moments.

He turns into the primary teenager to defeat Djokovic at a Grand Slam and strikes into the fourth spherical of a serious for the primary time.

Some high quality factors, exchanges and shotmaking from Fonseca, and he undoubtedly confirmed why he’s been overvalued within the final two years.

I believed Novak performed effectively, contemplating he hasn’t had a lot clay prep and the extent he can produce from a standing begin on essentially the most demanding floor is spectacular, however he ran out of gasoline in the direction of the top

Andrey Rublev (11) def. Nuno Borges 7-5, 7-6(2), 7-6(2)

Andrey Rublev is often the man who will get into bother at Slams, however he prevented the chaos that has hit a number of different seeds, coming by way of a good, straight-sets battle in opposition to Nuno Borges.

Three shut units, two tie-breaks, however they may have been simpler had Rublev taken benefit of the break factors he saved creating.

Borges pushed Rublev, as you’d anticipate given his sport fashion, however the Russian has the sting.  He’ll subsequent face Jakub Mensik, who got here by way of in opposition to Alex de Minaur.

Jakub Mensik (26) def. Alex de Minaur (8) 0-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3

I wasn’t positive if Mensik would wrestle after his fifth-set heroics 2 days in the past, and when the Australian raced by way of the opening set 6-0 in underneath 25 minutes, it seemed like Mensik would possibly nonetheless be feeling the results of his gruelling second-round win over Mariano Navone.

Nonetheless, I couldn’t have been extra unsuitable because the Czech flipped the match fully. From the second set onwards, Mensik discovered his vary on serve and off the forehand, whereas De Minaur’s early management disappeared. Mensik dropped simply seven video games throughout the ultimate three units, successful 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 to succeed in the final 16 in Paris for the primary time.

For De Minaur, it was one other tame Roland Garros exit after beginning strongly, whereas Mensik continues to point out why he is among the most harmful younger gamers within the draw.

Jesper de Jong (LL) def. Karen Khachanov (13) 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-2

Jesper de Jong’s dream lucky-loser run continued as he outlasted thirteenth seed Karen Khachanov in 5 units on Courtroom 14.

The Dutchman, ranked world No. 106, had misplaced within the closing spherical of qualifying, however he has made full use of his second probability in the primary draw.

In opposition to Khachanov, he confirmed spectacular resilience, particularly after lacking the prospect to complete the match in 4 units.

Khachanov took the fourth-set tie-break 7-2 to power a decider, however De Jong responded brilliantly. Moderately than tightening up, he reset shortly, broke early within the fifth and ran away with the ultimate set 6-2.

De Jong is now simply the third fortunate loser within the Open Period to succeed in the boys’s fourth spherical at Roland Garros, following Stanislav Birner in 1978 and David Goffin in 2012.

A poor-ish loss for Karen on paper, however not out of the odd for his profession and De Jong performs effectively in Paris, beating Draper in 5 and pushing Alcaraz to 4 units a few years again.

Rafael Jodar (27) def. Alex Michelsen 7-6(2), 6-7(5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

Rafael Jodar continued his spectacular clay-court season with a hard-fought five-set win over Alex Michelsen.

The Spaniard began effectively, taking the opening set in a tie-break, however the match turned when he served for the second set at 6-5 and handed the break again with two double faults. Michelsen seized the momentum, received the second-set tie-break, then took the third 6-4.

Jodar’s response was spectacular. He leaned on his heavy forehand, stayed calm regardless of the setback, and started to pull Michelsen into extra bodily exchanges. The American took a medical timeout for a lower-back concern within the fourth set, and from there, Jodar seemed the stronger participant.

Pablo Carreno Busta def. Thiago Agustin Tirante 7-6(0), 7-5, 3-6, 6-4

Pablo Carreno Busta rolled again the years to succeed in the fourth spherical of a serious for the primary time for the reason that 2022 US Open.

The Spaniard, now ranked world No. 89, did the majority of his injury within the first two units. He dominated the opening tie-break 7-0, then edged a good second set 7-5 to construct a commanding lead.

Tirante is a clay courter by way of and thru, so he refused to go quietly and took the third set 6-3, however Carreno Busta steadied himself within the fourth. An sudden run for him.

Casper Ruud def. Tommy Paul (24) 4-6 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(4) 7-5

Casper Ruud got here again from two units right down to defeat Tommy Paul in a gruelling five-setter lasting 4 hours and 47 minutes.

Paul managed the early phases and had two match factors within the fourth set, however Ruud saved each to power a decider.

Within the fifth set, Ruud broke first, however Paul recovered, and when the American served at 5-6 (to remain within the match) and went 40-0 up, it seemed like a becoming closing set tie break.

Nonetheless, he misplaced the subsequent 5 factors in a row and dropped serve. It’s bought to go down as a choke job this one, as Paul ought to have received this match comfortably, 14 break factors with solely 2 transformed.

Highlights

Quickly.

French Open 2026 Day 7 Spherical of 32 Matches