The 117th French Open is just around the corner! From 27 May to 10 June 2018, the Stade Roland Garros in Paris will host the second Grand Slam tournament of the year. SPOX has all the important information about the tennis tournament for you: dates, schedule, TV program, prize money, ticket prizes and record winners.
Along with the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, the French Open is one of four Grand Slam tournaments in the calendar year – and thus one of the most important tennis tournaments in the world. The competition, which is the only clay court tournament in the series, has been held in Paris since 1891.
This year Eurosport again secured the rights to broadcast the tournament from Paris. The TV channel will broadcast the tournament live on TV and via stream in the Eurosport Player from the qualifying round (21 to 25 May) to the men’s final on 10 June.
Fans can follow the tournament on their own, with additional options such as real-time statistics, a review option and live news from other courts.
If you can’t follow the action in Paris in moving pictures, you have the possibility to stay up to date with the live ticker of SPOX.
SPOX tickers the matches of the German, Austrian and Swiss participants as well as selected matches of the top players. Click here for the live calendar.
There is a change this year in the draw: the schedule will be determined at 7 pm on Thursday, 24 May, rather than on Friday noon. The draw will take place in the Orangery, a botanical garden building next to Roland Garros.
At the French Open, men and women will receive the same prize money. A total of 39.2 million euros will be distributed in 2018, an increase of almost ten percent over the previous year.
Players will receive 6,000 (1st round), 11,000 (2nd round) and 21,000 euros (3rd round) to survive the qualification.
Germany
The DTB is sending a total of 15 players to the start in Paris. The ladies include Julia Görges, Angelique Kerber, Carina Witthöft, Tatjana Maria, Mona Barthel, Andrea Petkovic and Laura Siegemund.
The delegation of the gentlemen is led by Alexander Zverev. Furthermore, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Peter Gojowczyk, Mischa Zverev, Jan-Lennard Struff, Maximillian Marterer, Florian Mayer and Cedrik-Marcel Stebe will open in Roland Garros.
Austria
Austria is only represented twice in Paris: Dominic Thiem, who is placed at number 6, may be described as the bearer of hope of the ÖTV. The 31-year-old Andreas Haider-Maurer will also be present.
Switzerland
In the men’s main field, the Confederates have only one man on the entry list – Stan Wawrinka – who won the tournament in 2015 and is now ranked 20th in the seed list. As of 27 May, three women from Switzerland will be joining the action: Timea Bacsinszky, Belinda Bencic and Stefanie Vögele are at the start.
For the men, the only way to the title on the Paris ashes – again – is via Rafa Nadal. The Spaniard, who won his 10th title in Roland Garros last year with a show of force against Stan Wawrinka, will also enter the 2018 race as a huge favourite.
The title will not be contested by Roger Federer, who will forego the entire clay court season in 2018. Also Andy Murray, who is on the list of participants after his protracted hip injury, is rumoured to be able to withdraw on the advice of his doctors.
The women’s field is more open than ever. World number one Simon Halep is just as hopeful of victory as defending champion Yelena Ostapenko, who is seeded at the 6th. A big comeback could be Serena Williams, who returned to the WTA Tour in the spring after the birth of her daughter in September and could play her first Grand Slam tournament after winning the Australian Open in 2017.
Court Philippe Chartrier: 65 to 325 euros
Court Suzanne Lenglen: 60 to 270 euros
Court no. 1: 50 to 120 Euro
Side seats: 20 to 35 Euro