Pierre-Hugues Herbert loses to Lorenzo Sonego in five sets at Roland-Garros 2026

Paris – May 25, 2026: 35-year-old Pierre-Hugues Herbert qualified for the main draw at Roland Garros and delivered an impressive performance on Sunday at Simone Mathieu Court. Despite his age and the long qualifying journey, he approached his match against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego with strong determination.

The first set began with intense rallies, with both players showcasing their strengths. Herbert, known for his precise serves and skillful net play, applied pressure on Sonego early on. Nevertheless, neither could secure a decisive lead, and the set went into a thrilling tiebreak. There, Sonego triumphed 7-3 to take the first set.

In the second set, Herbert showed a strong comeback. Skillfully changing his playing style and using his experience, he forced errors from Sonego. With solid play, he took the set 7-5, leveling the set count at 1-1.

In the third set, Sonego succeeded in an early break and continued his aggressive play to apply pressure, dominating Herbert. Although Herbert fought hard, Sonego allowed no openings and took the set 6-2.

In the fourth set, Herbert regained his form. Using varied shots, precise serves, and net attacks, he pressured Sonego and overwhelmed him 6-1 to bring the sets to 2-2.

The decisive fifth set saw Sonego seize the lead with an early break and maintain his aggression, applying pressure and showing almost no weaknesses, winning 6-4. After a grueling 4 hour and 8-minute battle, the final result was Sonego defeating Herbert 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.

Despite the defeat, Herbert displayed an excellent performance, proving that he can still compete at a top level even at an advanced age. His fighting spirit and technical skills were praised by spectators and experts alike. For Sonego, advancing to the next round means facing even tougher opponents.

The match between Herbert and Sonego was a showcase of the indomitable fighting spirit and passion characteristic of tennis. Both players delivered an exhilarating contest that kept the audience engaged until the final shot.