đź“— The history
The first French Open, originally known as the “Championnat de France,” took place in 1891 but was initially only open to male members of French tennis clubs. Fortunately, a women’s singles tournament was introduced six years later to rectify this oversight.
In 1925, international competitors were welcomed to the event, with René Lacoste and Suzanne Lenglen being the French winners in that inaugural year. The tournament found its permanent home at the Stade Roland-Garros in 1928, named after aviator Roland Garros.
In 1968, the event officially opened to both amateurs and professionals and became known as the French Open. While the French still affectionately refer to it as Roland-Garros, the tournament is a spectacle no matter what you choose to call it.
âś… How it works
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The French Open runs from late May to early June and features 128 women’s and men’s singles players competing in seven single-elimination rounds. The women’s singles final takes place on Saturday, June 8th, and the men’s final on Sunday, June 9th.
In addition to the singles matches, there are 64 women’s and men’s doubles pairs, as well as 32 mixed team duos. The total prize money for the competition is €53.5M (~$58M USD), with the winners of the men’s and women’s singles events each receiving €2.4M (~$2.6M USD).
The French Open is renowned for being played on clay courts, providing a unique challenge for players compared to other Grand Slam events that use hard-surface courts.
đź’Ş Women to watch
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🇵🇱 No. 1 Iga Świątek: The two-time defending champion is in excellent form, having recently won the Italian Open. She has the opportunity to make history by winning her third consecutive French Open.
🏅 No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka: A formidable opponent who has the potential to challenge Świątek after her success in the Australian Open and the Italian Open.
🇺🇲 No. 3 Coco Gauff: A rising star with impressive performances in recent Grand Slam events.
🇰🇿 No. 4 Elena Rybakina: Despite battling illness, she has a strong record against Świątek and is a contender to watch.
đź‘Š Men to watch
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🇪🇸 No. 276 Rafael Nadal: The legendary player with an unparalleled record at Roland-Garros.
🇳🇴 No. 7 Casper Ruud: A promising talent trained at Nadal’s academy, poised for success on clay courts.
🇷🇸 No. 1 Novak Djokovic: The defending champion and a dominant force in the world of tennis.
🇪🇸 No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz: A young player with impressive achievements who is shaping up to be a future champion.
đź“ş How to tune in
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Follow the action of the French Open with daily tennis matches over the next two weeks. Catch all the excitement on NBC in the U.S. and TSN in Canada.
