Jannik Sinner warned this at the Mutua Madrid Open, about the 2006 generation: “They are in a very interesting year“He said. “There are Joao, Jódar, Nicolai, Sakamoto… they are all very, very good players, and it is a very strong generation.” Sinner’s words make more sense these days at Roland Garros.
Two tennis players born in 2006, Rafa Jódar and Joao Fonseca, and one in 2005, Jakub Mensikhave been planted in the fourth round of the great earth. In the case of the first two, they had never reached this far in Grand Slam before.. Mensik had achieved it only once at the 2026 Australian Open.
Fonseca got the ticket for the second week after finishing Novak Djokovic in five sets. Djokovic had not lost to such a young rival since he did so with Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals of the Mutua Madrid Open 2022.
My generation is asking for the time a little and we give a few blows from time to time
“There are many young players coming out, from 19 to 22 years old. Many of them are coming out on top at this Roland Garros. They have a lot of career ahead of them and a lot to learn, for sure. It is clear that they come with a lot of desire, a lot of power in their shots and they play very cheerfully… My generation is already asking for time a little and we give the odd kick from time to time,” says Pablo Carreño, Jódar’s rival this Sunday for a place in the quarterfinals.
The lost generation
The new generation, which has definitely exploded at the French Open, Live these days with the lost generation of tennis. That group of players from whom a lot was expected and They did not stand up to the Big Three and they are not putting Alcaraz and Sinner in difficulties now either.
In that club they are Alexander Zverev29 years old and finalist in three Grand Slams; Andrey Rublevwho at 28 has never gone past the quarterfinals on a major racket stage; Casper Ruud27 years old and three major finals behind him; and Felix Auger-Aliassimewith the dubious honor of losing his first eight finals on the circuit.
Ruud lost twice in a row in the fight for the Paris crown, against Rafael Nadal (2022) and Djokovic (2023).
Goodbye to young Kouamé
French tennis lost its great and only hope in the men’s singles team. Moise Kouamé, only 17 years old, said goodbye to the Bois de Boulogne in the Suzanne Lenglen, which had been his lair. The experienced Alejandro Tabilo eliminated him 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and 7-6(9). Yannik Noah, champion in 1983, will have to continue waiting to have a replacement in his record. Diane Parry, Anisimova’s executioner, remains in women.
