2026 French Open Midterm Grades: Sweltering Conditions Blanket Roland Garros

It’s too damn hot. Oppressive, infernal, oven-like heat was the story of the opening week at the 2026 French Open. Temperatures that would have melted the wings of Roland Garros’s planes. Feverish air that felled not only Jannik Sinner—the overwhelming favorite done in by, yes, a game opponent, but also the heat—but also fans, officials, ball kids and the overall vibe.

2026 French Open Midterm Grades: Sweltering Conditions Blanket Roland Garros. It’s too damn hot. Oppressive, infernal, oven-like heat was the story of the opening week at the 2026 French Open. Temperatures that would have melted the wings of Roland Garros’s planes. Feverish air that felled not only Jannik Sinner—the overwhelming favorite done in by, yes, a game opponent, but also the heat—but also fans, officials, ball kids and the overall vibe. The grounds were packed, yet we were desperate for fans—electric, oscillating ones. There were high points, like 17-year-old French showstopper Moïse Kouamé, and the comparatively ancient 19-year-old João Fonseca and Spain’s Rafael Jódar (also 19). And a strong showing from the Ukrainian women, playing on and often speaking out amid their country’s invasion. But the tennis itself often seemed less...