A Thinning Field Before the First Ball is Struck
The Rolex Paris Masters, the last ATP Masters 1000 event on the 2026 calendar, has been significantly weakened by a flood of pre-tournament and mid-tournament withdrawals. Nine players in total have pulled out, forcing organizers to scramble for replacements throughout the week.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner was among the first to confirm his absence, and his withdrawal alone sent shockwaves through the draw. Felix Auger-Aliassime has chosen to wrap up his 2026 season entirely rather than play in Paris, while Jakub Mensik stepped aside with his focus firmly on the upcoming Davis Cup competition. Flavio Cobolli remains hopeful of making the ATP Finals in Turin if he earns qualification, but Paris came too soon for his recovery. Perhaps most surprisingly, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who captured the biggest title of his career at the Shanghai Masters earlier this season, is still battling illness and will sit out. Stefanos Tsitsipas is also sidelined, dealing with a right shoulder injury that previously forced him to skip the Swiss Indoors in Basel.
Replacements Step Up on Short Notice
With nine spots to fill, a mix of lucky losers and alternates have received late call-ups. Matteo Berrettini steps in for Auger-Aliassime, while Nuno Borges earned a lucky loser spot to replace Davidovich Fokina and faces a tough opener against French teenage wildcard Moise Kouame on home soil. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Ben Shelton remain in the draw and carry the tournament's star power heading into the business end of the week.
TennisDraw users updating their bracket picks will want to factor in these reshuffled matchups before placing their predictions for the semifinals.
