LONDON — The 2026 tennis season has delivered five major upsets headlined by Sebastian Korda's 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 win over Carlos Alcaraz at the Miami Open, Juan Manuel Cerundolo's 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 comeback against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner at the French Open in Paris, Diana Shnaider's 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 victory over Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros, Alex Eala's 6-2, 7-5 defeat of defending champion Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon, and Mariano Navone's 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over Novak Djokovic at the US Open in New York.
Korda provided the first shock in Miami, turning on his power game to blow away Alcaraz. The seven-time Grand Slam champion was still revelling in the glow of his Australian Open win in January, when he joined the elite list of players to win all four Grand Slam titles, and the defeat sent shockwaves through the men's game. At Roland Garros, Cerundolo authored what might be the most shocking defeat for a world No. 1 at a Grand Slam in recent memory. Sinner raced into a 5-1 lead in the third set and reached match point on a boiling hot day in Paris before his body let him down, and he wilted in the heat to lose the final three sets 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 after leading by two sets.
Shnaider matched that drama on the women's side in Paris, rallying to beat Sabalenka 3-6, 7-5, 6-0. Sabalenka appeared on her way to victory after moving into a commanding lead, but Shnaider rattled her and ran away with the match, a result that shook the aura of the queen of women's tennis. Her response after the match suggested she wanted to give up tennis and drew wide attention. At Wimbledon, Eala announced herself with a 6-2, 7-5 win over defending champion Swiatek. Eala had been bubbling under the surface as a star in the making, and her engaging charm during the match and afterward helped launch the Eala train, even though she lost her next match.
The final shock came at the US Open in New York, where Navone outlasted Djokovic 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. The sight of Djokovic shedding tears on the biggest stage led many to conclude he may be reaching the end of his remarkable career, as Navone showed too much stamina for the iron man of men's tennis. At age 39, Djokovic has been written off time and again this season, but he bounced back impressively to win the China Open title and ensure he has won a title in 21 consecutive years, finishing the year with hope that his glory days are not behind him.
Eala's Wimbledon breakthrough set up a memorable summer on American hard courts, and she looks set to finish the season inside the top 20 in the WTA Rankings as a player to watch heading into 2027. The late-season resurgence from Djokovic follows Djokovic's China Open title and underlines how quickly momentum has shifted after a year defined by upsets.