Cobolli and co left surveying wreckage as men’s seeds keep falling in French Open

Second major of the year is wide open after exits of Sinner and Djokovic, paving way for a first-time finalist in Paris

In the immediate aftermath of one of the most significant wins of his career, a victory over the unheralded Zachary Svajda that sent him into his first quarter-final at Roland Garros on Monday, Flavio Cobolli was posed a straightforward question. The Italian had been easing through the match, leading 5-1 in set four, when he almost capitulated. After desperately dragging himself over the line in an excruciating tie‑break, the 10th-seed’s evaluation was succinct: “I almost shit on my pants.”

The majority of men at this year’s French Open have similarly had to closely monitor their bowel movements on the court considering the world of opportunities available for them. Carlos Alcaraz, the champion here for the past two years, is not playing because of a wrist injury. So the defeats in consecutive days of the top seed , Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic, the 24-time grand slam champion, meant from as early as the third round that a new major winner would be crowned.