French Open 2020, schedule, broadcast times and where to get live streaming in India

Reigning French Open champion Rafael Nadal will be on the hunt for a record 13th title on the clay courts of Roland Garros as the final Grand Slam of the year kicks off in Paris this Sunday. Indian fans can watch the French Open 2020 live.

Nadal - the second seed in the tournament - will also be eyeing his 20th Grand Slam win, which will draw him level with Roger Federer’s record. Federer, meanwhile, won’t be participating due to injury.

The Spaniard, though, has his work cut out. Drawn in a tough bottom half, Nadal opens with a first-round tie against Belarus’ Egor Gerasimov but may have potential run-ins later with Stan Wawrinka, Andy Murray, Marin Cilic, Gael Monfils and US Open 2020 champion Dominic Thiem.

The bottom half of the men’s singles draw is as tough as it gets with two blockbuster ties – Stan Wawrinka vs Andy Murray and Dominic Thiem vs Marin Cilic – scheduled for the first round.

The top half of the draw, meanwhile, will feature top seed Novak Djokovic. The Serb, ranked No. 1 in the world, will be eager to bounce back from his unceremonious exit from the US Open.

Novak Djokovic did win the Rome Masters on clay leading up to the tournament but doesn’t have the best of records at Roland Garros.

The 17-time Grand Slam winner’s only triumph at the French Open came in 2016 in a career that has spanned nearly two decades.

In the women’s singles, there are some notable absentees with defending champion Ash Barty and US Open 2020 champion Naomi Osaka sitting out due to injuries.

The two top guns’ absence gives Serena Williams a better chance to finally equal Margaret Court’s 24 Grand Slam record. Top seed Simona Halep, however, will have other ideas.

Indian tennis doubles players at French Open

While there’s no Indian representation in singles, veteran doubles specialist Rohan Bopanna and his Canadian partner Denis Shapovalov will go up against the US-Canadian duo of Jack Sock and Vasek Pospisil in the first round of the doubles event on Tuesday, September 29.

Divij Sharan and his South Korean partner Soonwoo Kwon, meanwhile, await a tough test against Croatia's Franko Škugor and USA's Austin Krajicek - the 16th seeds in doubles.

Tennis fans would want to keep a close eye on this year’s French Open. Besides the COVID-enforced postponement from May-June to September and a limited number of fans being allowed inside select stadiums, several other changes could make this edition unique.

Court Philippe Chatrier – Roland Garros’s centre-piece court – now has a retractable roof, making indoor play a possibility whereas operational floodlights at four main stadium courts may let games extend into late evenings.

Night games officially begin at the French Open from next year.

Perhaps the biggest change will be the ball. After using the Babolat ball for the past eight years, Roland Garros shifts to the Wilson balls this campaign – something which the players reckon may affect the outcome of the games.

French Open 2020 schedule for India

Broadcast and live streaming of French Open 2020 main draw matches start in India from 2:30 PM IST (Indian Standard Time) on Sunday, September 27, and will run till Sunday, October 11.

Where to watch the French Open live in India

Select French Open tennis matches will be broadcast live in India on the Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 HD, Star Sports Select 2 and Star Sports Select 2 HD TV channels.

Live streaming of the French Open will be available on Disney+ Hotstar – Star’s OTT platform.