The unrelenting action at the French Open has resumed with fans turning up in numbers to witness the spectacle on display. The opening day featured some thrilling matches, and the trend is expected to continue as the tournament progresses. Alexander Zverev, Tomas Machac, Karen Khachanov and Marco Trungelliti stamped their authority and progressed into the second round.
On the second day, Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, Elina Svitolina, Flavio Cobolli, Andrey Rublev and others will dazzle on the court. As the French Open heads towards the next stage, upsets are expected to unfold, resulting in some stars suffering an early exit. On that note, here are five possible upsets that can take place on the second day.
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5) Ben Shelton
Ben Shelton, the 2026 BMW Open champion, has historically toiled on clay throughout his career. Despite his title-winning run in Munich, Shelton suffered back-to-back exits in Madrid and Rome. He tried to find his rhythm in Hamburg but crashed out in the Round of 16 following a defeat against Daniel Altmaier. At the French Open, the American will kick off his campaign against Daniel Merida Aguilar. The young Spaniard has shown potential to orchestrate upsets on clay this season. Considering Shelton’s track record on clay, Aguilar is more than capable of causing him trouble in the opening round.
4) Gael Monfils
The veteran Frenchman, Gael Monfils, will have his one last dance at the Roland Garros. The 39-year-old has failed to match the required intensity on dirt against the proven stars in his last tour. With his golden days behind him, Monfils would need to produce something special against fellow Frenchman Hugo Gaston. The duo have never faced each other prior to their upcoming contest. Even though the veteran will enter the fixture with confidence, the chances of a heartbreak continue to loom over his French Open journey.
3) Amanda Anisimova
Amanda Anisimova, seeded sixth in the Grand Slam event, also stands on the verge of first-round elimination. She missed the majority of the clay season due to an injury and directly travelled to Paris to fight for the Grand Slam. She was supposed to feature at the Italian Open and begin her campaign against Jelena Ostapenko. However, she decided to opt out at the last moment due to the lingering concerns over her fitness. The 24-year-old American will square off against local star Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah, who boasts an impressive win rate of over 60% on the surface. Considering Anisimova’s lack of game time, she could leave Paris early.
2) Ekaterina Alexandrova
Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 14th-seeded Russian, is another high-profile player in the list of upsets. She has competed in four competitions on clay this season and suffered first-round defeats in three of them, including Rome, Strasbourg and Linz Open. She will face Camila Osorio, who has exhibited signs of flamboyance on clay and has had a much better run compared to the Russian. With a win percentage close to 70%, the Colombian poses a significant threat to Alexandrova’s French Open campaign.
1) Andrey Rublev
Andrey Rublev, seeded 11th in the competition, will meet Peru’s Ignacio Buse, who is riding high on his fiery form after lifting the title in Hamburg with a win over Tommy Paul. Rublev has had his moment on clay this season, but inconsistency has been his biggest enemy. Buse could capitalise on Rublev’s scrappy form to produce one of the biggest upsets in the current edition of the French Open.
Edited by Pritha Ghosh