The clay court season reaches its peak once again with the 2026 French Open, officially known as Roland-Garros, taking place in Paris from Sunday 24 May through to Sunday 7 June 2026. The famous red clay courts at Stade Roland-Garros will host two weeks of world-class tennis, dramatic five-set battles, and some of the longest rallies in professional sport.

As the second Grand Slam tournament of the tennis calendar, the French Open remains one of the toughest events to win. The slow clay surface rewards stamina, patience, movement and tactical intelligence, often producing very different champions compared to the faster grass and hard court events.

2026 French Open Dates and Schedule

The main tournament begins on Sunday 24 May 2026 and concludes with the Men’s Singles Final on Sunday 7 June 2026. Qualifying matches start earlier, on Monday 18 May.

Key Tournament Dates

• Qualifying: 18–22 May 2026
• First Round: 24–26 May
• Second Round: 27–28 May
• Third Round: 29–30 May
• Fourth Round: 31 May – 1 June
• Quarter Finals: 2–3 June
• Women’s Semi Finals: 4 June
• Men’s Semi Finals: 5 June
• Women’s Final: 6 June
• Men’s Final: 7 June

Daily play is expected to begin from around 10am local time in Paris, with evening “night session” matches again scheduled on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Reigning Champions

The reigning men’s singles champion is Carlos Alcaraz, who won the 2025 title to successfully defend his crown. However, reports indicate that Alcaraz is expected to miss the 2026 tournament through injury, ending hopes of a third consecutive Roland-Garros title.

The reigning women’s singles champion is Coco Gauff, who captured her second Grand Slam title in Paris last year. Gauff will return to defend her title on the clay courts where she has consistently performed strongly.

Tournament Favourites for 2026

With Alcaraz absent, the men’s tournament appears wide open.

Men’s Singles Favourites

Current world number one Jannik Sinner heads into Roland-Garros as many experts’ favourite. Sinner has enjoyed an excellent clay court season and could complete a career Grand Slam with victory in Paris.

Other major contenders include:

• Novak Djokovic – still dangerous at Grand Slam level despite a reduced schedule.
• Casper Ruud – a proven clay specialist and multiple Roland-Garros finalist.
• Alexander Zverev – consistently strong on clay courts.
• Jack Draper – Britain’s leading hope after recent improvements on clay.

Women’s Singles Favourites

The women’s draw looks extremely competitive once again.

Leading contenders include:

• Aryna Sabalenka
• Coco Gauff
• Iga Świątek
• Elina Svitolina

Świątek remains particularly dangerous on clay despite not arriving as defending champion this year, having dominated Roland-Garros in recent seasons.

UK TV Coverage – Is Any of It Free?

For UK viewers, the 2026 French Open will once again be shown exclusively by TNT Sports and HBO Max.

Coverage includes:

• Live matches from every court
• Full tournament streaming
• Night session coverage
• Finals coverage
• On-demand highlights and replays

Unfortunately for many UK tennis fans, there is currently no major free-to-air live television coverage confirmed for the French Open in Britain. Unlike Wimbledon, which remains on the BBC, Roland-Garros is now behind a subscription paywall in the UK.

However, fans can still expect:

• Online highlights clips
• Social media highlights
• Radio updates
• News coverage and short clips via BBC Sport and other outlets

European Broadcasters

Broadcast rights vary across Europe, with some countries still offering significant free-to-air coverage.

France

France continues to enjoy extensive free coverage through France Télévisions, while Amazon Prime Video carries selected night session matches.

Spain

In Spain, coverage is mainly through Eurosport España and Max streaming services.

Germany

German viewers can watch through Eurosport and associated Warner Bros Discovery platforms. Some matches may also be available free-to-air depending on distribution agreements.

Italy

Italian coverage is expected via Eurosport, while selected tennis events in Italy continue to receive free coverage through RAI platforms.

A Growing Frustration for Tennis Fans

One recurring complaint among tennis fans is the fragmentation of broadcasting rights. Across Europe and especially in the UK, viewers increasingly need multiple subscriptions to follow the full tennis season. Online discussions continue to highlight frustration over the lack of consistent free coverage for major tournaments outside Wimbledon.

Even so, Roland-Garros remains one of the sporting highlights of the year, and the 2026 edition promises another fascinating fortnight of clay court drama in Paris.