ATP Tour news: Toby Samuel the shining star as British players fall short in French Open qualifying

At each of the four Grand Slam tournaments, 128 players battle through three qualifying stages to earn one of 16 places in the main draw – being involved in qualifying means a player was not ranked sufficiently high enough to gain direct entry.

For 11 of the 12 British competitors at the 2026 French Open, it was a case of au revoir to the terre battue until next year. Here, Sports News Blitz writer and tennis fan AJ Becker takes a closer look at the fortunes of Brits on the Parisian clay last week.