Arnav Paparkar’s stellar performance at the Roland Garros 2026 boys’ singles event ended in the third round, but not before the young Indian showed glimpses of real potential on one of the sport’s biggest junior stages.

The 18-year-old had impressed earlier in the tournament with his composed baseline game and ability to compete under pressure, but he faced a crucial set-up against fourth seed Jack Kennedy of the United States in the round of 16. On Court 11, Kennedy proved too strong in the key moments and won 7–5, 6–2 in a match that lasted 1 hour and 33 minutes.

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Paparkar struggled to establish rhythm throughout the match as Jack Kennedy applied constant pressure from the baseline and constantly targeted weaknesses in his serve and backhand. In the opening set, Paparkar showed brief resistance through some well-timed winners and extended rallies, but her overall game lacked consistency. The low percentage of first serves in key service games left him exposed repeatedly, allowing Kennedy to take control of points early.

Arnav Paparkar struggles under pressure

Paparkar’s unforced errors became a decisive issue, especially during crucial moments like deuce and break-point situations. Even after recovering from a 30-30 or advantage-down situation, he would often rush or hit a mistimed shot that would immediately turn the momentum back to Kennedy. Extended rallies further exposed his inconsistency, with shot selection breaking down under sustained pressure.

Although he managed to hold his serve on a few occasions, he was unable to build momentum or maintain pressure on his opponent, eventually losing the first set 7–5.

In the second set, Kennedy increased her intensity and immediately took advantage of Paparakar’s declining consistency. The Indian player’s serve once again lacked reliability and his backhand errors increased significantly. Kennedy dominated the return game, converting the break expertly and putting Papakar under constant pressure. Despite occasional holds, Paparkar was unable to stage a comeback as Kennedy closed out the set 6–2 and won in straight sets.

Paparkar’s performance in Paris is another encouraging sign for Indian tennis at the junior level. While the result against Kennedy highlighted the gap that still exists at the top end of the junior game, it also provided valuable experience against elite opposition in a Grand Slam environment.

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