French Open 2024: Full schedule, prize money and British players

Rafael Nadal is set to play in the tournament for one final time before he retires later this year, while Andy Murray, playing in Paris for just the second time in seven years, is also not expected to return.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are two of the favourites but both have had injury issues in the build-up to Roland Garros, while Novak Djokovic, who must at least reach the final to prevent Sinner replacing him as world number one, is yet to produce his best tennis during the clay-court swing.

Alexander Zverev, winner of the Italian Open last week, has reached three straight semi-finals at this tournament, though he has the small matter of a first-round clash with Nadal.

There is no doubting who the favourite is on the women’s side of the draw, as Iga Swiatek bids to win her fourth French Open title and a fifth Grand Slam.

Coco Gauff could prove to be the biggest threat on Swiatek’s route to the final, but the American, like most, has a miserable record against the Polish star.

Aryna Sabalenka has not failed to reach the last-four of a Slam she has played in since the 2022 Australian Open, though she has lost to Swiatek in finals in Madrid and Rome in recent weeks.

It is difficult to see Iga Swiatek being stopped at Roland Garros

REUTERS

The French Open gets underway on Sunday, May 26, 2024, and runs through to the men’s final a fortnight later, on Sunday June 9.

As ever, it is being played at Roland Garros in Paris.

How to watch the French Open

TV channel: The tournament will be broadcast in full on Eurosport, with a subscription costing £6.99-a-month or £59.99 for an annual pass.

Live stream: Those who have subscribed can stream every match through the discovery+ app and website.

Men’s and women’s singles

Champion – €2.4million
Runner-up – €1.2m
Semi-finalist – €650,000
Quarter-finalist – €415,000
Fourth round – €250,000
Third round – €158,000
Second round – €110,000
First round – €73,000

Men’s and women’s doubles (per pair)

Champion – €590,000
Runner-up – €295,000
Semi-finalist – €148,000
Quarter-finalist – €80,000
Third round – €43,500
Second round – €27,500
First round – €17,500

Novak Djokovic beat Casper Ruud in last year’s final

Getty Images

Play will begin for the morning sessions at 10am BST, with the action getting underway on Philipe-Chatrier an hour later. The night sessions will begin at 7:15pm.

Sunday, May 26 – men’s and women’s first round
Monday, May 27 – men’s and women’s first round
Tuesday, May 28 – men’s and women’s first round
Wednesday, May 29 – men’s and women’s second round
Thursday, May 30 – men’s and women’s second round
Friday, May 31 – men’s and women’s third round
Saturday, June 1 – men’s and women’s third round
Sunday, June 2 – men’s and women’s fourth round
Monday, June 3 – men’s and women’s fourth round
Tuesday, June 4 – men’s and women’s quarter-finals
Wednesday, June 5 – men’s and women’s quarter-finals
Thursday, June 6 – women’s semi-finals
Friday, June 7 – men’s semi-finals
Saturday, June 8 – women’s final
Sunday, June 9 – men’s final

British players and notable first-round matches

There are six British singles players in the main draw, with Heather Watson, Billy Harris and Ryan Peniston among those unable to make it through qualifying and add to that tally.

Emma Raducanu will not feature at Roland Garros, after she withdrew from the qualifying event in an attempt “to keep fit for the rest of the year”.

Murray, playing in the French Open for what is expected to be the final time, has been handed a tough first-round draw against 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka. It is the third match in a row at Roland Garros that Murray has faced Wawrinka, having lost to him in 2017 and 2020.

Dan Evans, who will play in the doubles in Paris alongside Murray goes up against Holger Rune, while Jack Draper will face Carlos Alcaraz in the second round if both get through their opening matches. Cameron Norrie, if he beats Pavel Kotov, will take on the winner of Murray’s clash with Wawrinka.

Harriet Dart faces the seeded Linda Noskova, and Katie Boulter, who has never won a main-draw match on clay in her career, plays Paula Badosa, a former world number two.

Favourite Swiatek goes up against a qualifier in the opening round and could then face Naomi Osaka, if the four-time Grand Slam winner gets past Lucia Bronzetti.