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

Paris – 25.05.2026: Pierre-Hugues Herbert, 35 years old and having advanced to the main draw of Roland-Garros through a successful qualification, delivered an impressive performance on Sunday at the Court Simonne-Mathieu. Despite his age and the long journey through the qualifiers, he competed with great determination against the Italian player Lorenzo Sonego.

The first set started with intense rallies where both players played to their strengths. Herbert, known for his precise serve and skillful net attacks, put Sonego under early pressure. However, neither player could make a decisive difference, leading the set to be decided in a thrilling tiebreak. Here, Sonego maintained the upper hand with 7-3 and took the first set.

In the second set, Herbert responded strongly. He varied his game smartly and used his experience to make Sonego commit mistakes more often. With a solid 7-5, the Frenchman took the set and leveled the score at 1-1.

The third set began with an early break from Sonego, who continued his aggression and dominated Herbert with pressure-filled play. Herbert fought bravely, but Sonego gave him little room and won the set 6-2.

In the fourth set, Herbert found his form again. He varied his shots intelligently and put Sonego under pressure with precise serves and net attacks. With a convincing 6-1, Herbert took the set and evened the score at 2-2.

The decisive fifth set started with an early break from Sonego, who continued to show his aggression and dominated Herbert with pressure play. Herbert did not give up, but Sonego gave him little room and won the set 6-4. After 4 hours and 8 minutes, the final result was set: Sonego defeated Herbert 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-2, 1-6, and 6-4.

Despite the defeat, Herbert showed an impressive performance and proved that even at an older age he remains competitive at the highest level. His fighting spirit and technical skills were equally appreciated by the audience and experts. For Sonego, the victory means progression to the second round of the tournament, where he will face another strong opponent.

The match between Herbert and Sonego was a textbook example of the relentless fighting spirit and passion that characterize the sport of tennis. Both players delivered an exciting duel that kept the audience captivated until the final point.