Roland-Garros crowns a new generation of stars

Main Points

• Nadal and Djokovic won eight Roland-Garros titles between 2016 and 2023.
• Carlos Alcaraz claimed consecutive French Open crowns in 2024 and 2025.
• Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva represent the new generation of women's Grand Slam champions.

After a decade dominated by legends such as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, the French Open Roland-Garros is increasingly being shaped by a younger generation eager to leave its mark on the Paris clay.

The latest chapter came in 2026 when Germany's Alexander Zverev captured his maiden Roland-Garros title, while Russia's Mirra Andreeva, aged just 19, claimed her first Grand Slam crown. Their victories extended a period of transition that has transformed one of tennis' most prestigious tournaments.

Few players have dominated a Grand Slam like Rafael Nadal at Roland-Garros.

Between 2017 and 2022, Nadal won five French Open titles, adding to the legacy that earned him a record 14 crowns in Paris. His reign established Roland-Garros as one of the most remarkable success stories in sporting history.

The torch has since passed to fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who won back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025. His 2025 triumph was particularly memorable, as he rallied from two sets down and saved three championship points to defeat Italy's Jannik Sinner in the longest French Open final on record.

Alcaraz's success has positioned him as the leading figure of the sport's next generation, drawing inevitable comparisons with Nadal while forging a rivalry with Sinner that many believe will define men's tennis for years to come.

While younger stars have emerged, Novak Djokovic remains a significant figure in Roland-Garros history.

The Serbian captured titles in 2016, 2021 and 2023, becoming one of the few players capable of interrupting Nadal's dominance on clay. His 2023 victory also helped cement his record-breaking Grand Slam legacy.

Together, Nadal, Djokovic and now Alcaraz have defined the men's competition over the past decade.

The women's draw has been shaped largely by Iga Świątek, whose dominance on clay has echoed Nadal's success.

The Polish star won Roland-Garros titles in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024, establishing herself as the leading force on the surface and one of the sport's most consistent performers. Her aggressive baseline game and movement have made her the player to beat in Paris for much of the decade.

Before Świątek's rise, champions included Garbiñe Muguruza, Jelena Ostapenko, Simona Halep and Ashleigh Barty, each contributing to a highly competitive era in women's tennis.

The last two editions have produced first-time champions.

In 2025, American star Coco Gauff defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to win her first Roland-Garros title and become the first American woman to lift the trophy since Serena Williams in 2015.

A year later, Mirra Andreeva went one step further by becoming the youngest French Open women's champion in more than three decades. Her victory highlighted the arrival of another major talent capable of challenging for Grand Slam titles across all surfaces.