The 2023 edition of the French Open, second Grand Slam of the year, is scheduled to be held from May 28 to June 11 at Roland-Garros in Paris.
Here’s all you need to know about the this year’s tournament:
STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
Nadal to miss French Open
Do you remember how the world was like at the time of 2004 French Open? YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter did not exist. Michael Phelps had not won a single Olympic medal. Pete Sampras was the most-decorate male tennis player with 14 Majors under his name. And the clay Major did not have a certain Spaniard named Rafael Nadal. At present, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter all are a part of our lives. Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian. And three men - Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Nadal have more Slams than ‘Pistol’ Pete. However, there is one similarity with 2004. Nadal won’t be there at this year’s French Open. The Spaniard, who has won the title a record 14 times since his debut in 2005, is out due to a hip injury sustained at the Australian Open earlier this year.
Opportunity for Djokovic and Alcaraz
Nadal’s absence in Paris is set to be a major talking point at least until someone lifts the Musketeers Cup on June 11 at the Philippe Chatrier Court. Djokovic, despite not winning a single tune-up event on clay this season, is one of the favourites for the title this season. The Serbian will be motivated as winning this edition will make him the most decorated male tennis player of all-time. Carlos Alcaraz, the top seed, was a two-year-old when his compatriot Nadal won the title in 2005. The 20-year-old Alcaraz will eye the trophy this time after exiting at the quarterfinal stage last year.
Swiatek to face tough competition
All eyes will be on World No.1 Iga Swiatek and whether she can go joint fourth on the all-time women’s winner’s list in Paris by clinching her third French Open title. In last 16 years, Roland-Garros has seen nine first-time Major winners on the women’s side and therefore, Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka will also fancy their chances. Swiatek, the 21-year-old Pole, will hope to become the first woman to win back-to-back titles at Roland-Garros since Belgium’s Justine Henin who won three in a row from 2005 to 2007.
Indian interest
This will be the first Major since the retirement of Sania Mirza, the six-time Grand Slam winner and former World No. in doubles. Rohan Bopanna, 43, who is back in the men’s doubles top 10 after seven years, is expected to be one of the favourites for the title with his Australian partner Matthew Ebden. Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni will also be there in men’s doubles. While there is no Indian man in singles event this year, Ankita Raina’s campaign in women’s singles ended with a second-round loss in qualifiers.
For the junior championships, Yuvan Nandal is in the main draw while Aryan Shah starts from qualifying round.
HOW LAST YEAR’S EDITION WENT
On the men’s side, Nadal entered the French Open without a title on clay in the same season for only the second time in his career. The fifth-seeded Spaniard faced tough competition from Felix Auger-Aliassime, coached by his uncle Toni Nadal, before eventually winning in five sets in the fourth round. In the quarterfinals, Nadal defeated defending champion Djokovic. He led by two sets in the semifinal against Alexander Zverev when the German broke his ankle and was forced to retire. Nadal clinched a record 14th title at Roland-Garros with a straight-sets win over Casper Ruud, the first Norwegian man to reach a Grand Slam final.
On the women’s side, World No. 1 Swiatek was the overwhelming favourite for the title and she proved it right by dropping only one set on her way to the final. In the summit clash, the Pole defeated American teenager Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-3 to clinch her second title in Paris.
DRAWS
PRIZE MONEY
The prize money for this year’s French Open will total 49.6 million euros ($54.6 million), up 12.3 per cent on 2022.
The men’s and women’s champions will receive 2.3 million euros each.
Where to watch
In India, viewers will be able to watch the live telecast of the matches on the Sony Pictures Network (SPN) and stream the matches live on the SonyLiv app.
TROPHIES
According to the official website, the five trophies awarded at Roland Garros have all been designed by La Maison Mellerio, the famous Parisian jewelers since the 17th century.
The men’s singles winner receives the Musketeers’ Cup, named in the honour of four Musketeers of French tennis: Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet and René Lacoste. Awarded to the winners since 1981, the trophy, a silver bowl bordered with vine leaves around the top and decorated with two swan-shaped handles, is mounted on a marble base which has the names of all the champions since 1891.
The women’s singles champion receives the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup, named after the six-time French Open champion. Awarded to the winners since 1979, the trophy is almost the exact replica of the cup offered at the time by the City of Nice to Lenglen, and is housed in the National Sports Museum.
The men’s doubles winners receive the Jacques-Brugnon Cup, named after one of the four Musketeers of French tennis, a doubles specialist. The trophy, created in 1989, is designed with appliques and its base is decorated with repetitive ornaments in relief, otherwise known as fluting.
The women’s doubles champions receive the Simonne-Mathieu Cup, named after clay specialist Simonne Mathieu who won the singles title twice, in 1938 and 1939, and also won eight titles in women’s doubles and mixed doubles. The trophy, created in 1990, is adorned with two small handles in the form of swans and decorated with leaf moldings.
The mixed doubles winners receive the Marcel Bernard Cup, named after the 1946 French Open champion who also served as the President of the French tennis federation from 1968 to 1973. Presented to the champions for the first time in 1990, the trophy is oval and features turned and inserted mouldings, a carved frieze and two handles, while the base features two turned mouldings.
Most successful players at French Open (Open Era)
Women
Chris Evert (USA): 7 titles (1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986)
Steffi Graf (Germany): 6 titles (1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999)
Justine Henin (Belgium): 4 titles (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Margaret Court (Australia): 3 titles (1969, 1970, 1973)
Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (Spain): 3 titles (1989, 1994, 1998)
Monica Seles (Yugoslavia): 3 times (1990, 1991, 1992)
Serena Williams (USA): 3 times (2002, 2013, 2015)
Men
Rafael Nadal (Spain): 14 titles (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)
Bjorn Borg (Sweden): 6 titles (1974, 1975,1978, 1979, 1980, 1981)
Mats Wilander (Sweden): 3 titles (1982, 1985, 1988)
Ivan Lendl (Czech Republic): 3 titles (1984, 1986, 1987)
Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil): 3 titles (1997, 2000, 2001)
Notable Absentees
Men - Rafael Nadal, Matteo Berrettini, Andy Murray, Marin Cilic
Women - Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka, Paula Badosa, Emma Raducanu
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