This year’s French Open is already shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory, with two early exits shaking up the men’s singles draw.
Both Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic are already out of Roland Garros 2026, leaving fans surprised by how quickly things have changed.
Sinner was knocked out in the second round by Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who came back from two sets down to end Sinner’s quest for a Career Grand Slam.
Djokovic followed him out in the third round, losing to Joao Fonseca, who also came back from two sets behind to move on.
Flavio Cobolli reflects on the atmosphere in Paris after Djokovic and Sinner’s early exits
Speaking to Tennis 365, Cobolli said: “There’s a different atmosphere, especially since the two strongest players are no longer here, and now Novak isn’t either.
“When you walk through the locker room, you can tell that an opportunity has opened up for everyone, and everyone wants to take advantage of it.
“We’re all ready to fight for every point and try to get something important out of this tournament. I’m really happy with my performance, of course. It’s also my first win on Centre Court at a Grand Slam, so it means a lot for sure.
“Now it’s time to recover a bit, and I’m already thinking about the next match, which is really important for me.
“I think I also played well because perhaps my opponent was a little tired from the effort of the last few days, and that maybe helped me today to reach the next round.
“I want to take it match by match, that’s the way I want to think this week. I know there are many possibilities to have a new Grand Slam champion. But I don’t want to think about this. I have another tough match.”
The Italian hasn’t dropped a set on his way to the fourth round after recording wins over Andrea Pellegrino, Wu Yibing and Learner Tien.
Cobolli will now face Zachary Svajda in his next match — their only previous meeting was back in 2024 when he beat Svajda in three sets at Delray Beach Open.
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