Roland Garros 411: The Ultimate Guide to the 2026 French Open
As the clay-court season reaches its climax, the 2026 Roland Garros is set to kick off in Paris, with the world's best players gearing up for the second Grand Slam of the year. The French Open, known for its red clay and iconic atmosphere, promises an exciting tournament filled with drama, upsets, and memorable moments. Here's your comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about this year's event.
The Schedule: When Does the Action Start?
The main draw of the 2026 Roland Garros will commence on Sunday, May 24, with the singles final scheduled for Saturday, June 6, and the doubles final on June 7. The tournament will see a total of 128 players compete in the singles draw and 64 pairs in the doubles draw.
Singles Draw: Who's in the Running?
The singles draw is headed by top seeds Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff, each leading a quarter of the draw. The earliest that Sabalenka and Rybakina could meet would be in the final, setting up an intriguing potential showdown.
First Quarter: Jessica Bouzas Maneiro vs. Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka, last year's finalist, opens her campaign against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round. Her quarter also features notable players like Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka, and Madison Keys, with quality first-round matches in Alexandra Eala vs. Iva Jovic, Victoria Mboko vs. Nikola Bartunkova, and Emma Navarro vs. Janice Tjen.
Second Quarter: Taylor Townsend vs. Coco Gauff
Gauff, the defending champion, begins her title defense against compatriot Taylor Townsend. Amanda Anisimova faces wild card Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, while last year's breakout star Lois Boisson takes on Anna Kalinskaya, and Linda Noskova meets Maria Sakkari in notable first-round matches.
Third Quarter: Emerson Jones vs. Iga Swiatek
Swiatek, the four-time Roland Garros champion, leads the third quarter, facing Aussie wild card Emerson Jones. Other notable seeded players in this quarter include Elina Svitolina, Belinda Bencic, Marta Kostyuk, and Jelena Ostapenko.
Fourth Quarter: Mirra Andreeva vs. Elena Rybakina
Rybakina, the two-time Grand Slam champion, heads the fourth quarter, which also hosts Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini, 2023 finalist Karolina Muchova, and 2021 champion Barbora Krejcikova.
Doubles Draw: The Power Duos
In the doubles draw, Italian duo Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani, fresh from winning the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, will look to defend their title. They will face off against then-unseeded Aleksandra Krunic and Anna Danilina in the final, with both duos set to clash once again this year.
The Top Seeds and Wild Cards
Seeds
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Elena Rybakina
- Iga Swiatek
- Coco Gauff
- Jessica Pegula
- Amanda Anisimova
- Elina Svitolina
- Mirra Andreeva
- Victoria Mboko
- Karolina Muchova
- Belinda Bencic
- Linda Noskova
- Jasmine Paolini
- Ekaterina Alexandrova
- Marta Kostyuk
- Naomi Osaka
- Iva Jovic
- Sorana Cirstea
- Madison Keys
- Liudmila Samsonova
- Clara Tauson
- Anna Kalinskaya
- Elise Mertens
- Leylah Fernandez
- Diana Shnaider
- Hailey Baptiste
- Marie Bouzkova
- Anastasia Potapova
- Jelena Ostapenko
- Ann Li
- Cristina Bucsa
- Xinyu Wang
Wild Cards
France: Leolia Jeanjean, Ksenia Efremova, Fiona Ferro, Clara Burel, Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah, Alice Tubello
USTA: Akasha Urhobo
Tennis Australia: Emerson Jones
The Defending Champions
Coco Gauff, in a remarkable comeback, rallied past Aryna Sabalenka 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 on Philippe-Chatrier court to lift her second career Grand Slam trophy in 2 hours and 38 minutes. Gauff became the first American in a decade to triumph in Paris since Serena Williams in 2015, and the youngest American to win the Roland Garros title since Williams' first victory in 2002.
In doubles, Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani, after winning the Internazionali BNL d'Italia together, fended off Aleksandra Krunic and Anna Danilina 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 to win their first and only Grand Slam title as a pair.
Ranking Points and Prize Money
The 2026 Roland Garros will have a prize pool of €61.723 million (USD $71.771 million), a 9.53% increase from the previous year. Both the women's and men's singles and doubles draws will earn equal prize money for each round.
As with all Grand Slams, 2,000 rankings points will be available for both singles and doubles. The prize money and rankings points earned for reaching each round are as follows:
Singles
First Round: €87,000 (USD $100,990) | 10 points
Second Round: €130,000 ($151,000) | 70 points
Third Round: €187,000 ($217,000) | 130 points
Fourth Round: €285,000 ($330,800) | 240 points
Quarterfinals: €470,000 ($545,550) | 430 points
Semifinals: €750,000 ($870,500) | 780 points
Finalist: €1.4 million ($1.625 million) | 1300 points
Champion: €2.8 million ($3.25 million) | 2000 points
Doubles
First Round: €19,000 ($22,050) | 10 points
Second Round: €29,000 ($33,650) | 130 points
Third Round: €45,000 ($52,230) | 240 points
Quarterfinals: €82,000 ($95,200) | 430 points
Semifinals: €150,000 ($174,100) | 780 points
Finalist: €300,000 ($348,200) | 1300 points
Champion: €600,000 ($696,500) | 2000 points
What to Expect
The 2026 Roland Garros promises to be a thrilling event, with the clay-court season reaching its climax in Paris. The top seeds, defending champions, and wild cards all set to battle it out for glory. With the singles and doubles draws offering substantial prize money and ranking points, the tournament will see some of the world's best players compete for the iconic Coupe Suzanne Lenglen.
As the action unfolds, keep an eye out for potential upsets, surprise packages, and memorable moments that make the French Open one of the most exciting Grand Slams on the calendar. Whether you're a tennis enthusiast or a casual viewer, the 2026 Roland Garros is sure to deliver an unforgettable experience.
