PARIS (AP) — The French Open is set to offer a record prize pool of 61.7 million euros ($72.1 million), marking a 10% increase from the previous year. This increase adds 5.3 million euros to the total compared to last year. The tournament will commence on Sunday, May 24, at the iconic Roland Garros stadium in Paris.
Both the men’s and women’s singles champions will take home 2.8 million euros each, while the runners-up will receive 1.4 million euros. Semifinalists are set to earn 750,000 euros, and even those eliminated in the first round will receive 87,000 euros. In the doubles category, winners will earn 600,000 euros, and mixed doubles champions will collect 122,000 euros.
Last year’s tournament featured notable victories, with Carlos Alcaraz overcoming Jannik Sinner in a thrilling five-set match, and Coco Gauff defeating Aryna Sabalenka for the women’s title. Read more about Alcaraz’s comeback and Gauff’s win.
An opening ceremony, curated by French choreographer Benjamin Millepied, will precede the men’s and women’s finals, lasting approximately six minutes. This year, players will have the option to wear data-collecting devices on court to monitor their physical performance, according to tournament director Amélie Mauresmo.
Privacy for Players
Concerns over privacy have been prominent, especially after incidents at the Australian Open where players felt exposed by invasive camera angles. Coco Gauff’s off-court moments and Iga Swiatek’s comments about feeling like “animals in the zoo” sparked discussions. Mauresmo emphasized the importance of maintaining a private space for players, stating, “Players need a private area, something which will not change. No cam access (there).”
Upholding Traditions
The French Open continues to adhere to its traditional values, opting out of the 1 Point Slam seen at the Australian Open. Mauresmo stated, “Our ambition is not to repeat everything that’s done elsewhere… this is not something that corresponds to us, to the image of Roland Garros.”
The tournament also remains loyal to human line judges, unlike other tournaments like Wimbledon that have embraced electronic line-calling. Mauresmo acknowledged their imperfections but asserted, “They are not 100% reliable, but our decision was to stick to our way.”
Discussions about introducing five-set matches for women are on the table, with Mauresmo open to the idea, questioning whether it should apply to all matches or just the latter stages. “This could be a win-win situation but we have to talk about this with the women players,” she noted.
Evening match schedules remain flexible, with Mauresmo stating that decisions will depend on the draws and lineups. Last year’s night sessions notably lacked women’s matches, a point acknowledged by the organizers.
Entertaining Fans
Fans can look forward to sampling French cuisine at the Jardin des Chefs, located near Court Simonne-Mathieu, where 13 French chefs will rotate duties daily. Additionally, the famed Concorde Square will offer free screenings of matches on a big screen during the second week of the tournament, from June 3-7.
This year’s tournament will also pay tribute to retiring tennis icons Gaël Monfils and Stan Wawrinka. The schedule includes a change for the final Saturday, with the men’s doubles final preceding the women’s singles final.
Clay is the Way
Known for its clay courts, the French Open seeks to reinforce its identity with increased investment in clay courts across France, says French Tennis Federation director Gilles Moretton. Currently, clay courts represent only 13% of all courts in the country.
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