Jodar, Landaluce & Fonseca have all reached QFs at Masters 1000 events in 2026

The current crop of #NextGenATP standouts have already sent shockwaves through the 2026 season, and they now arrive at Roland Garros eager to build on that momentum at the year’s second major.

Led by Spaniards Rafael Jodar and Martin Landaluce, who have each pieced together eye-catching runs at ATP Masters 1000 events this season, men’s tennis appears to be moving confidently into a bright future. Among this emerging wave, one name is set to command particularly intense attention: 17-year-old Frenchman Moise Kouame, who will make his main-draw debut at his home major after receiving a wild card.

"It is a privilege for me to be here that young," Kouame said ahead of the tournament. "It's an opportunity not everyone gets to have... I'm going to try to enjoy it as much as possible."

When Kouame earned his first ATP Tour win in Miami in March to become the youngest match winner in tournament history, a message quickly arrived from his idol Novak Djokovic. “Hopefully you will go far,” wrote the 24-time major champion.

Having spent a record 428 weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Djokovic is as qualified as anyone to speak on the future of the sport. And Kouame, No. 309 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and currently the youngest player inside the world’s Top 400, may well prove to be a significant part of it.

Now the rangy, elastic 6’3” Frenchman will find himself in the same major main draw as Djokovic, a three-time Roland Garros champion. Kouame will not only seek to mirror the path of his idol, but also join fellow #NextGenATP standout Joao Fonseca in making history in Paris.

Last year, the then-18-year-old Fonseca became the second-youngest Roland Garros match winner of the past decade, eventually reaching the third round. Only Carlos Alcaraz, in 2021, achieved the feat at a younger age. This year, Kouame, still only 17, will attempt to go one step further. The Frenchman opens against 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic.

"When you're on the court, you want to do your best," Kouame said. "You're so focused on what's happening to you that you are not necessarily realising how lucky you are to play such a major tournament so early. I'll need to remain focused on myself, because I want to win that match. But perhaps I can also kind of let go and take a little hindsight on what I am doing to smile, be playful and enjoy what I am doing on the court."

Kouame currently sits seventh in the PIF ATP Live Next Gen Race, and several other contenders chasing places at the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals will also be eager to leave their mark in Paris.

The rise of 19-year-old Jodar has been one of the breakout stories of the 2026 season, compiling a 15-3 tour-level record on clay that includes his maiden ATP Tour title in Marrakech in April. The Spaniard earned praise from World No. 1 Jannik Sinner — “What a player,” the Italian said — after their gripping Madrid quarter-final, and his rise has been just as striking: from World No. 707 to No. 29 in the span of 12 months. He now arrives in Paris as a seeded player.

"It will be a new experience and a new challenge for me," Jodar said. "I'm looking forward to starting the tournament. I will try to play my best tennis and without any expectations because everyone here plays very well. If they have a good day, they can beat you.

"Knowing that it will be my first Roland Garros, [I want to] enjoy the experience. Because when I was younger, I always dreamed about playing on this kind of stage and in the Grand Slams, so [I want to] enjoy the experience."

Jodar’s fellow Madrid native Landaluce has also enjoyed a breakthrough start to the year. The 20-year-old reached ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finals in Miami and Rome, entering those events as a qualifier and lucky loser respectively before climbing to a career-high World No. 67.

Landaluce is now set for his Roland Garros main-draw debut, having previously appeared at this stage of a major only once, at last year’s Australian Open. He will be joined by Brazil’s Fonseca, who will be eager to rediscover his form on familiar ground.

After an injury-riddled start to the season, in which he withdrew from Adelaide and Brisbane before a first-round Australian Open loss to Eliot Spizzirri, Fonseca now returns to the site of one of his biggest breakthroughs. Last year’s run to the third round in Paris ended against Jack Draper, but this time, the Brazilian will hope Roland Garros can once again spark something special. The Brazilian could meet three-time champion Novak Djokovic in the third round in 2026.

Another #NextGenATP player to look out for at Roland Garros is 19-year-old Federico Cina, who will make his main-draw debut at a major tournament. The Italian, ninth in the PIF ATP Live Next Gen Race, came through qualifying to earn his spot in Paris.

For a generation already announcing itself on the biggest stages, Roland Garros now presents another opportunity to prove the future is arriving faster than expected.