Rolex Paris Masters 2026 Underway with Top Seeds and Local Stars

The Rolex Paris Masters 2026 officially opened at La Défense Arena, marking the final Masters 1000 tournament of the tennis season and the last major push before the upcoming ATP Finals in Turin. Top-seeded players Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, and Ben Shelton headline the draw, accompanied by a strong contingent of ten French competitors eager to perform in front of a home crowd.

Carlos Alcaraz arrives in the French capital brimming with confidence after capturing the title in Vienna by defeating Alex de Minaur. As the second seed, the Spanish star received a first-round bye, mirroring the treatment given to third-seeded Ben Shelton. Shelton has recently drawn attention following the addition of Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz's former coach, to his coaching staff. Because they occupy opposite halves of the bracket, Alcaraz and Shelton can only meet if they both advance to the tournament final.

The top half of the draw is anchored by top seed Alexander Zverev, who could potentially face eighth-seeded Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Shelton's quarter of the draw sets up a prospective high-stakes clash against Frances Tiafoe. In the lower half, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev and fifth seed Flavio Cobolli were slated to battle for a semifinal berth, alongside a potential matchup involving Arthur Fils and Carlos Alcaraz.

Local spectators were treated to an exciting opening day, highlighted by notable results across the board. Lorenzo Musetti dismissed Hubert Hurkacz in two tight tie-breaks, 7-6, 7-6, while Rafael Jodar defeated Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 6-3, and Casper Ruud overcame Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-3, 6-2. Among the French contingent, Luca Van Assche advanced by defeating Mariano Navone 6-3, 7-5, whereas Kyrian Jacquet fell to Tomas Machac 7-6, 6-1.

The tournament also features a demanding start for Novak Djokovic. Seeded tenth, Djokovic was drawn into a challenging opening-round encounter against Valentin Vacherot, who recently captured the title in Basel. Additional first-round pairings to watch include Stefanos Tsitsipas facing Learner Tien, Tommy Paul taking on Holger Rune—who returns via a protected ranking—and Matteo Berrettini challenging Brandon Nakashima. On the injury front, Belgian player Alexander Blockx was forced to withdraw due to a right ankle injury and was replaced in the main draw by lucky loser Sebastian Baez.

In related developments, fifth seed Flavio Cobolli announced his withdrawal from the Paris tournament due to a left thigh muscle strain sustained during his match against Matteo Berrettini in Vienna. Cobolli explained that after attempting to practice following media day, he still felt discomfort and chose not to risk further injury, putting his focus firmly on recovering in time for the ATP Finals in Turin. Prior to his withdrawal, Cobolli was scheduled to play the winner of the opening match between wildcard entry Arthur Gea and special exemption player Jan-Lennard Struff.

As the tournament progresses, the remaining competitors will fight not only for the prestigious Paris title but also for vital ranking points to cement their positions heading into the season's closing showcase.