2023 Roland-Garros preview: Iga Swiatek chases third title; men's event without Rafa Nadal for first time since 2004 - Schedule, how to watch
Iga Swiatek aims to defend her title as world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and legendary veteran Novak Djokovic look to take advantage of Rafael Nadal's absence. Plus, full schedule and tune-in info.
Tennis
For the first time since 2004, Roland-Garros will be without 14-time champion Rafael Nadal.
Nadal announced his withdrawal tennis' clay-court major, commonly known as the French Open, last week, meaning the men's event will be wide open for world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and two-time champion (2016, 21) Novak Djokovic - among others.
As Alcaraz seeks out his first Parisian title, Djokovic is going for Grand Slam number 23, which would see him pass Nadal and join Serena Williams with the Open Era record mark.
Iga Swiatek, a surprise champion at this event in 2020, comes in as defending champion with three majors to her name, having won the US Open last year, as well. The world No. 1 withdrew from her quarter-final in Rome against eventual champion Elena Rybakina due to a thigh injury which she said shouldn't hamper her Parisian efforts.
Rybakina and fellow Rome champ Daniil Medvedev have entered into the favourite's conversation in their respective draws, while Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka, who won earlier this month in Madrid, is also to watch.
See the full schedule of play and find out how to tune in below. Plus, storylines to keep an eye on.
Roland-Garros 2023: What to watch for at the French Open
Men: No Nadal? Opportunity awaits...
Who emerges as champion with no Nadal on the terre battue? Alcaraz and Djokovic lead that charge, though the two could be on the same half of the men's singles draw when Medvedev leap-frogged Djokovic in the rankings to No. 2 after his Rome win.
The 20-year-old Spaniard won clay titles in Barcelona and Madrid in the lead-up, but was shocked in his second match in Rome by world No. 135 Fabian Marozsan. Djokovic, meanwhile, has a chance to regain the lead in men's majors won over Nadal, but is just 5-3 this clay season, losing a second match in two meetings with youngster Holger Rune in Rome.
Rune appears primed for a breakout major, while 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud will look to emulate his success from a year ago. Medvedev is set to anchor the bottom half of the draw and is now a true clay threat after previously struggling on the surface; he has a tour-leading five titles this year.
Also to watch: 2021 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas; Olympic champion Alexander Zverev; as well as Andrey Rublev and Jannik Sinner, among others.
Women: Swiatek, Sabalenka, Rybakina lead the charge
Over the last half decade, the women's majors have been open: Since 2017, 15 different women have won singles Slams. But Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina will be top-four seeds in Paris (as will Jessica Pegula), and the three have shared the biggest women's clay wins this year: Stuttgart (Swiatek); Madrid (Sabalenka); and Rome (Rybakina).
Pegula's doubles partner and 2022 Roland-Garros runner-up Coco Gauff, the American teen, has struggled to just a 3-3 mark this clay season, but she'll look to find her range in Paris - as will Ons Jabeur, the Tunisian world No. 7 who is a two-time major finalist and is recovering from injury.
The home hopes will rest on the shoulders of a resurgent Caroline Garcia while Maria Sakkari and Daria Kasatkina have been to the final four here previously.
Other previous winners in the draw: Barbora Krejcikova, the 2021 champ, and 2017's Jelena Ostapenko.
The grounds of Roland-Garros are set to host the tennis event for next year's Olympic Summer Games Paris 2024. See how athlete can qualify here.
Roland-Garros 2023: Schedule
A full provisional schedule for the French Open can be found here, while the daily schedule - known in tennis as the order of play - is here.
Matches get underway at 1100 local each day unless otherwise noted, with an evening session held in Court Philippe-Chatrier through Wednesday, 7 June.
- Sunday, 28 May - Tuesday, 30 May
First round - Men's & women's singles; men's doubles underway (from Tuesday)
- Wednesday 31 May - Thursday, 1 June
Second round - Men's & women's singles; all doubles underway
- Friday, 2 June - Saturday, 3 June
Third round - Men's & women's singles
- Sunday, 4 June - Monday, 5 June
Fourth round - Men's & women's singles; juniors underway
- Tuesday, 6 June - Wednesday, 7 June
Quarter-finals - Men's & women's singles; wheelchair competition underway
- Thursday, 8 June
1230 - Mixed doubles final
1500 - Women's semi-finals
- Friday, 9 June
1445 - Men's semi-finals
- Saturday, 10 June
1500 - Women's singles final; men's doubles final
- Sunday, 11 June
1500 - Men's singles final; women's doubles final
Roland-Garros 2023: How to watch - TV & livestream
As one of the four tennis majors, the French Open has its own broadcast partners, namely France Télévisions and Prime Video in France and Tennis Channel and NBC in the U.S.
Eurosport carries coverage across 50 countries in Europe, while CCTV and Shinai Sports are set to broadcast in the People's Republic of China. WOWOW hosts coverage for Japanese viewers.
See a full list of RG broadcasters here, and get more information about how to watch the tournament here.