French Open: Dates, format, venue, prize money & more

The French Open, the second of four Grand Slams on the tennis calendar and the only major played on clay, gets underway in late May each year.

It is held over a two-week period across May and June each year and is widely regarded as the most physically demanding competition on the professional circuit, given the challenging characteristics of the clay courts.

French Open Dates

The next edition of the French Open will get underway on Sunday 25th May, and conclude with the men's final on Sunday 8th June 2024.

The women's section of the draw will conclude with the final on Saturday 8th June.

The main singles draws for both men and women will feature 128 players, 16 of which will have come through qualifying.

French Open Venue

The second Grand Slam of the season will be held in Paris, France, and it is the only Major to be played on outdoor clay courts.

The venue was first constructed in 1928 to host France's first defence of the Davis Cup, and the complex in the 16th arrondissement of the French capital contains 20 courts, including three large-capacity stadiums.

What is Roland Garros?

The French Open, also known as Roland-Garros, is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris and it is part of the heritage of France.

Opened in 1928, Roland-Garros was built to preserve France's tennis success, with the country having won the Davis Cup the previous year. 

Roland Garros was a Frenchman who is believed to have performed the world's first flight across the Mediterranean. He left behind an enduring legacy of innovation and determination and was given the French Open tribute.

Court Philippe Chatrier is Stade Roland Garros's centrepiece and remains its principal venue, with its 2019 renovation allowing it to seat 15,225 spectators.

Court Suzanne Lenglen is the secondary stadium with a capacity of 10,068 spectators, while the newly-built Court Simonne Mathieu, which was constructed in 2019, can host 5,000 spectators.

French Open Prize Money

The men’s and women’s champions will take home €2,400,000 if successful, with the runner-up receiving €1,200,000.

Semi-finalists will pick up €630,000 while quarter-finalists collect €400,000. Making the first round is still worth €69,000.

French Open History

This will be the 128th edition of the tournament, with the event first established in 1891 and having originally been known as the French Championships.

The tournament was only open to French players or foreign players who were members of a French club during the first 34 years of its existence. Therefore, it was understandably dominated by home players, particularly Max Decugis, who won it eight times from 1903 to 1914.

Rafael Nadal is the most decorated player in the history of the French Open, having won it 14 times. His first success came in 2005 and his most recent in 2022, when he easily outclassed Casper Ruud, 6-3, 6-3, 6-0.

Former Swedish number one Bjorn Borg won it six times between 1974 and 1981 and by some distance is the second most decorated male player of the Parisian event in the Open Era.

American ace Chris Evert is the most successful female player in French Open history, with seven title triumphs, while Steffi Graf won it six times and Justine Henin four.

However, Iga Swiatek has already won the French Open four times despite being only 23 years of age, so Evert's record could soon be under threat.