The clay-court season reaches its peak as the second Grand Slam of 2026 gets underway at Roland Garros in Paris. With top seeds Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka chasing their first French Open titles, fans are set for two weeks of high-stakes tennis starting this Sunday.
When does the main draw of the French Open 2026 begin?
The main draw kicks off on Sunday, 24 May and runs until Sunday, 7 June. The women's singles final is scheduled for Saturday, 6 June, while the men's final closes the tournament the following day. Qualifying rounds, where players battle for a spot in the 128-player draws, started on Monday, 18 May.
Prize money at Roland Garros 2026
Organisers have confirmed a total prize pot of €61.7 million. Both the men's and women's singles champions will pocket €2.8 million each. The figures come amid ongoing talks between players and Grand Slam bosses over a bigger share of revenue for the sport's biggest stars.
French Open 2026 schedule
24-26 May: First round (men's and women's singles)
26 May: Doubles action begins
27-28 May: Second round (singles)
27 May: Mixed doubles starts
29-30 May: Third round
31 May-1 June: Fourth round
2-3 June: Quarter-finals
2 June: Wheelchair events get going
4 June: Women's semi-finals
5 June: Men's semi-finals
6 June: Women's final
7 June: Men's final
French Open 2025 champions
Last year's tournament delivered drama. Carlos Alcaraz fought back from two sets down and saved three championship points to beat Jannik Sinner in an unforgettable men's final, claiming his second Roland Garros crown. In the women's event, Coco Gauff staged a comeback to defeat Aryna Sabalenka and lift her first French Open title.
Carlos Alcaraz misses title defence
The big news this year is the absence of seven-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz. A wrist injury picked up at the Barcelona Open rules him out of both the French Open and next month's Wimbledon. The Spaniard, who completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open in January, recently lost the world number one ranking to Sinner.
Top seeds and players in form
Jannik Sinner arrives as the clear favourite in the men's draw. The Italian has won the last six ATP Masters 1000 titles, including three straight clay-court triumphs in Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome. A victory in Paris would complete his career Grand Slam. Novak Djokovic, a three-time champion here, returns but has played limited matches this season and exited early in Rome.
On the women's side, the race looks wide open. Reigning champion Coco Gauff showed flashes of form by reaching the Italian Open final, but has been inconsistent. Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, a four-time Roland Garros winner and Australian Open champion, Elena Rybakina are all expected to challenge strongly.