PARIS (AP) — Get ready for the French Open before play begins on Sunday with a guide that tells you everything you need to know about how to watch the clay-court Grand Slam tennis tournament, what the betting odds are, what the schedule is, who the defending champions are and more:
How to Watch the French Open on TV
— In the U.S.: Tennis Channel, NBC, Peacock.
— Other countries are listed here.
Betting Favorites
No surprise here: Iga Swiatek is a heavy favorite to win the women’s title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, which lists her as a –155 money-line pick for what would be her fourth trophy at the French Open and third in a row. There is a big gap to the next player, two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, who is at +500, followed by 2023 U.S. Open champ Coco Gauff at +950 and 2022 Wimbledon champ Elena Rybakina at +1100. The only other woman listed below +4000 is Danielle Collins, at +1800. For the men, Carlos Alcaraz is narrowly the top choice for the men’s title, listed at +275, despite having missed time recently because of problems with his right forearm. Next up is defending champion Novak Djokovic at +300, with Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner at +400. Sinner missed the Italian Open with an injury this month, while Djokovic has not played much this season. Rafael Nadal, the 14-time French Open champion who turns 38 during the tournament and has indicated he is nearing retirement, is the seventh pick at +2000. That represents a significant change from the +900 he was listed at before Thursday’s draw put him up against No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev in the first round. Zverev is a –350 money-line favorite against Nadal, who is listed at +260 for that match.
The Basics
The site in Paris is Roland Garros. The surface is red clay courts. Women play best-of-three-set matches; men play best-of-five-set matches. There are day and night sessions on most days.
The Schedule
— Sunday-Monday-Tuesday: First Round (Women and Men)
— May 29-30: Second Round (Women and Men)
— May 31-June 1: Third Round (Women and Men)
— June 2-3: Fourth Round (Women and Men)
— June 4-5: Quarterfinals (Women and Men)
— June 6: Women’s Semifinals
— June 7: Men’s Semifinals
— June 8: Women’s Final
— June 9: Men’s Final
A Quiz About Nadal
Try your hand at the AP’s quiz about Rafael Nadal.
Get Caught Up
What to read heading into the French Open:
— Top women and top men in the field
— This trip to Paris for Rafael Nadal might be similar to Serena Williams’ last U.S. Open
— A look at each of Nadal’s 14 titles at Roland Garros
— What is it like for pro tennis players to face, and watch, Nadal?
— Coco Gauff is getting ready to vote in a presidential election for the first time
— Jannik Sinner has a chance to rise to No. 1 in the rankings
— A look at the 2024 brackets, including Nadal’s first opponent
Defending Champions
Iga Swiatek got past Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 for a third career championship at the French Open and fourth Grand Slam title overall. Novak Djokovic defeated Casper Ruud 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 for his 23rd major trophy; he has since raised that total to 24. It was Djokovic’s third title at Roland Garros, making him the first man with at least three from each of the four Slam sites.
Prize Money
Total prize money for the 2024 French Open is rising to nearly 53.5 million euros, about $58 million — an increase of nearly 8% from last year. The two singles champions each will receive 2.4 million euros, about $2.6 million.
Stats to Know
Zero — The number of times Rafael Nadal has lost consecutive matches on clay courts in his career. He will face Alexander Zverev in the first round of the French Open; his previous outing was a 6-1, 6-3 loss to Hubert Hurkacz at the Italian Open on May 11.
5 — The most Grand Slam final appearances by any woman in the 2024 French Open field. That is Victoria Azarenka’s total; she is 2-3 in those finals. Iga Swiatek (4-0), Naomi Osaka (4-0) and Angelique Kerber (3-1) have all been to four major title matches.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
The Associated Press
