The 2024 edition of the French Open, second Grand Slam of the year, is scheduled to be held from May 26 to June 9 at Roland-Garros in Paris.
Here’s all you need to know about the this year’s tournament:
STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
Nadal is back
After missing the 2023 edition of the French Open due to a hip injury, 14-time champion Rafael Nadal is back. The 37-year-old Spaniard enters this year’s edition with a 5-3 win-loss record on clay this season.
Nadal, who is currently ranked 275th in the world, faces fourth seed Alexander Zverev in the first round. It will be the first meeting between the Spaniard and the German since the semifinals of the French Open from two years ago when Zverev was forced to retire towards the end of the second set due to ankle injury.
While it is believed this might be the Spaniard’s last appearance at the clay Major, Nadal cautioned it was “not 100% certain” during the pre-tournament press conference.
Djokovic under pressure
It has been an underwhelming season for defending champion Novak Djokovic. The 37-year-old Serbian has arrived at Roland Garros without a single title under his belt this season.
Djokovic has a 14-6 win-loss record this season and is yet to reach a final. He lost to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semifinals. Recently, he went down 4-6, 6-0, 1-6 to Czechia’s Tomas Machac in the Geneva Open semifinals.
Djokovic ended his highly successful partnership with Croatian coach Goran Ivanisevic shortly before the clay season began. Going for his fourth title in Paris and an unprecedented 25th Major trophy, Djokovic opens his campaign against local wildcard Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the first round.
Can Swiatek do the three-peat?
All eyes will be on World No.1 Iga Swiatek as she looks to become the first woman to win three straight titles at Roland Garros since Belgium’s Justine Henin (2005-07).
The 22-year-old Pole enters the clay Major in superb form. While she lost to Elena Rybakina in the semifinals of Stuttgart Open, she beat World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in the finals of Madrid Open and Italian Open.
Swiatek begins her title defence with a first-round fixture against French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean.
Indian interest
Sumit Nagal, who has previously failed in the qualifying rounds thrice, is set to make his French Open draw debut. It has been a breakthrough season for the 26-year-old as he made in into the ATP Top 100 for the first time in his career. Nagal, currently ranked 95th, will be the first Indian man to feature in the main draw in singles since Prajnesh Gunneswaran. However, Nagal has a tough first-round match against World No. 18 Karen Khachanov of Russia.
In men’s doubles, Rohan Bopanna and Yuki Bhambri feature in the main draw entry list. The 44-year-old Bopanna won his maiden Major in men’s doubles at the Australian Open this year with Matthew Ebden. The triumph also made him the oldest top-ranked player in the ATP Doubles Rankings.
However, Bopanna and Ebden have struggled on clay this season. They lost in the second round in Monte Carlo and Rome while in Madrid, they were eliminated in the opening round.
Bhambri partnered with French player Albano Olivetti before Marrakech Open. The pair won Munich Open and finished runner-up in Lyon.
Eye on Olympics
Since the tennis event for the Paris Olympics will be held at Roland Garros, there is even bigger focus on how this year’s French Open goes. The remaining slots in the singles and doubles categories for the Summer Games will be filled based on the rankings at the end of French Open.
HOW LAST YEAR’S EDITION WENT
On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic, seeded third, went on to win the title for the third time in Paris. The Serbian did not drop a set until the quarterfinals. He defeated top seed Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 in the semifinals before taking down Casper Ruud 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5 in the final. It was Djokovic’s 23rd Major title.
On the women’s side, World No. 1 Swiatek was the overwhelming favourite and she did not face any issues in the first five rounds. Her first test came against Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia in the semifinals but she managed to win 6-2, 7-6(7). In a thrilling final, Swiatek survived a scare to beat Czechia’s Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
DRAWS
PRIZE MONEY
The prize money for this year’s French Open comes to 53.478 million euros (58.015 million USD), up 7.82 per cent compared with last year.
The men’s and women’s champions will receive 2.4 million euros (2.6 million USD) each.
Where to watch
In India, viewers will be able to watch the live telecast of the matches on the Sony Sports Network and stream the matches live on the SonyLiv app/website and JioTV 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.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic with the Musketeers’ Cup after winning the men’s singles title at French Open 2023. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
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.
Poland’s Iga Swiatek with the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup after winning the women’s singles title at French Open in 2023. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
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.
Croatia’s Ivan Dodig (right) and USA’s Austin Krajicek (left) celebrate with the Jacques-Brugnon Cup after winning men’s doubles title at French Open in 2023. | Photo Credit: AFP
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.
China’s Wang Xinyu (left) and Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Su-wei (right) with the Simonne-Mathieu Cup after winning the women’s doubles title at French Open in 2023. | Photo Credit: AFP
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.
Japan’s Miyu Kato (left) and Germany’s Tim Puetz (right) with the Marcel Bernard Cup after winning mixed doubles title at French Open in 2023. | Photo Credit: AFP
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 titles (1990, 1991, 1992)
Serena Williams (USA): 3 titles (2002, 2013, 2015)
Iga Swiatek (Poland): 3 titles (2020, 2022, 2023)
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)
Novak Djokovic (Serbia): 3 titles (2016, 2021, 2023)
Notable Absentees
Men - Matteo Berrettini, Marin Cilic
Women - Jessica Pegula, Emma Raducanu
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