Zachary Svajda is not an everyday name in men’s tennis, but that’s about to change at the 2026 French Open.
Svajda, the 23-year-old San Diego native, is enjoying the greatest Grand Slam success of his career. He advanced to the third round after impressive wins over Australians Alexei Popyrin and Adam Walton. The Popyrin win was especially impressive because he lost the first set and won the next three.
Prior to this year’s French Open, he advanced to the second round of the US Open twice in 2021 and 2025.
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Svajda has faced top players
At last year’s US Open, Svajda took the opening set via tiebreaker off of Novak Djokovic in the second round before Djokovic won the next three sets. He defeated Marin Cilic in straight sets in the opening round of this year’s Indian Wells Open.
Svajda achieved his career best ranking of World No. 82 in March 2026. In the current ATP live rankings, he is World No. 74.
He turned pro in 2019. His father Tom competed at the junior level in the 1980s. Svajda idolizes Roger Federer and John Isner and has trained with fellow Californian Taylor Fritz upon occasion.
Svajda has earned three ITF Challenger titles and wins over Ben Shelton and Sebastian Korda at that level.
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On Saturday, he will play the winner of the Francisco Cerundolo and Hugo Gaston second round match.
Watch the French Open on TNT Sports now through June 7.
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