Karen Khachanov exits Roland Garros after five-set drama

Karen Khachanov has ended his Roland Garros 2026 campaign in the third round. In a tense five-set match, the Russian tennis player lost to Dutchman Jesper de Jong.

The match proved to be tough and lengthy, with the battle continuing almost until the final games. Khachanov lost 5-7, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6, 2-6. Karen managed to come back into the match twice, including by winning the fourth set in a tie-break, but in the deciding set De Jong was stronger and more composed, closing out the match confidently.

For Khachanov, the tournament in Paris ended after two victories. Earlier at Roland Garros, he had defeated Marco Trungelliti and Frenchman Arthur Gea, but he was unable to get past the third-round barrier.

Jesper de Jong, who produced one of the notable results of the day, will face Alexander Zverev in the next round. For the Dutch tennis player, this is an important success at a Grand Slam tournament and a chance to test himself against one of the strongest players on the tour.

Roland Garros 2026 has already become a tournament full of major surprises. The men’s draw is guaranteed to have a new champion, as the main favorites have left the competition one after another. Jannik Sinner lost to Francisco Cerundolo in five sets, despite serving for the match in the third set. After that, the Italian’s game suddenly collapsed, and the Argentine managed to complete an impressive comeback.

Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the tournament due to injury, while Novak Djokovic ended his campaign after losing to Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca. Against the backdrop of these results, the battle for the title in Paris has become even more open and unpredictable.