Biggest Upsets in French Open History
Watching the unexpected happen on a tennis court is ridiculously satisfying, especially when it shakes up the French Open. The clay doesn’t care about rankings or reputations, which is exactly why these shocking upsets still get talked about years later, like they just happened yesterday.
Virginie Razzano Stuns Serena Williams (2012, First Round)
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Virginie Razzano, ranked 111th in the world, pulled off a jaw-dropping victory over Serena Williams in Paris. Serena had never lost in the first round of a major before and led by a set and 5–1 in the second-set tiebreak. Razzano’s comeback sent ripples through the tennis world.
Robin Söderling Ends Rafael Nadal’s Reign (2009, Fourth Round)
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Few saw this coming. Rafael Nadal, undefeated at Roland Garros and fresh off four consecutive titles, was outplayed by Sweden’s Robin Söderling. Nadal had crushed Söderling just weeks prior, but in Paris, it was Söderling’s fearless hitting that earned him the win in four dramatic sets.
Tathiana Garbin Topples a Sick Justine Henin (2004, Second Round)
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While battling a virus, world No. 1 Justine Henin couldn’t keep up with Tathiana Garbin’s consistency and depth. The Italian, ranked 86th, took her chance and won in straight sets. It was Henin’s only French Open loss during her dominant stretch between 2003 and 2007.
Michael Chang’s Grit Overwhelms Ivan Lendl (1989, Fourth Round)
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Seventeen-year-old Michael Chang looked done after dropping the first two sets to Ivan Lendl. Then came the cramps, the underhand serve, and an improbable turnaround. Chang outlasted Lendl in five sets and went on to become the youngest male Grand Slam champion ever.
Kathy Horvath Halts Martina Navratilova’s Incredible Streak (1983, Fourth Round)
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Martina Navratilova was nearly unbeatable in 1983, winning 86 of her 87 matches. The only exception was a gritty performance by 17-year-old Kathy Horvath in Paris. Horvath took the match in three sets and ended one of the most dominant runs in tennis history.
Stéphane Huet Floors Ivan Lendl (1993, First Round)
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Frenchman Stéphane Huet was ranked 297th and came in as a qualifier. Ivan Lendl was a three-time French Open champion. In front of a shocked Paris crowd, Huet took the match in four sets and became one of the lowest-ranked players to defeat a top-eight seed in Slam history.
Anikó Kapros Stuns Justine Henin (2002, First Round)
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In only her second Grand Slam main draw appearance, Hungarian qualifier Anikó Kapros dismantled fifth-seeded Justine Henin. After dropping the opening set, Kapros surged through the final two and gave up just one game to close it out in an incredible three-set performance.
Gustavo Kuerten Rises from Nowhere (1997)
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Unseeded and virtually unknown, Gustavo Kuerten stormed to the French Open title. Ranked 66th, he took out three former champions, including Yevgeny Kafelnikov and two-time winner Sergi Bruguera. It marked Brazil’s first Grand Slam singles title and the start of Kuerten’s clay-court legacy.
Iva Majoli Crushes Martina Hingis’ Dream Run (1997, Final)
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Martina Hingis came into the French Open final with 35 straight wins and was eyeing a calendar slam. Iva Majoli, ranked ninth, had other plans. In just 75 minutes, she handed Hingis a rare loss and denied her what would have been a clean sweep of the year’s majors.
Ekaterina Makarova Sends Angelique Kerber Packing Early (2017, First Round)
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World No. 1 Angelique Kerber was sent crashing out of Roland Garros by Ekaterina Makarova in a straight-sets blowout. The loss made Kerber the first top seed in French Open history to fall in the opening round. It appears Makarova’s flat, fast style proved too much on the clay.
Éric Winogradsky Outplays Stefan Edberg (1987, Second Round)
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Eric Winogradsky had never made it past the second round of a major, and Stefan Edberg had just won the Australian Open. The French wild card turned the tables on his higher-ranked opponent and won in four sets.
Jeļena Ostapenko Wins Out of Nowhere (2017, Final)
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Jeļena Ostapenko arrived in Paris without a single WTA title, but she left with the biggest one on clay. The unseeded Latvian knocked out Simona Halep in the final by blasting 54 winners. Her aggressive shot-making rewrote the script and crowned her the first unseeded women’s champion of the Open Era.
Chris Woodruff Upsets Andre Agassi with Grit (1996, Second Round)
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Chris Woodruff, ranked 72nd and playing in his first French Open, sent Andre Agassi home early. Agassi, struggling with form and fitness, committed 63 unforced errors. Woodruff took advantage in a five-set victory that remains one of his career highlights.
Daniel Altmaier Outduels Taylor Fritz (2025, First Round)
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Daniel Altmaier, ranked outside the top 60, delivered a commanding performance against American star Taylor Fritz. Her relentless ball-striking and clean returns resulted in the loss of the No. 4 seed in four sets. Fritz’s 41 unforced errors made this early exit all the more surprising.
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro Embarrasses Emma Navarro (2025, First Round)
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In under an hour, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro served up a near-flawless match and defeated ninth seed Emma Navarro 6–0, 6–1. Navarro struggled from the start, failed to hold serve, and never found her rhythm. It was one of the most one-sided upsets in recent French Open memory.