The French Open is well and truly under way at Roland Garros, with world number one Jannik Sinner beginning his bid to complete the career Grand Slam on Tuesday, alongside defending champion Coco Gauff and top seed Aryna Sabalenka.
Sinner is the overwhelming favourite in the men’s draw following the withdrawal of his main rival Carlos Alcaraz through injury. The Italian arrives in Paris in outstanding form, having won his sixth consecutive Masters title at the Italian Open earlier this month, completing the full set of all nine Masters 1000 trophies. He also won clay court titles in Monte Carlo and Madrid.
Sinner faces French wildcard Clement Tabur in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier. It will be his first appearance at Roland Garros since his heartbreaking loss to Alcaraz in last year’s final, in which he led by two sets and had three championship points. He comes into the tournament on a 29-match winning streak, his last defeat coming against Jakub Mensik in Doha back in February.
Gauff begins her title defence against fellow American Taylor Townsend. The fourth seed has had a mixed run of form since winning the title in Paris last year, though she did reach the Italian Open final before losing to Elina Svitolina. She has a remarkable record at Roland Garros and could reach at least the quarter-finals for a sixth year in a row.
Sabalenka looked a strong favourite for the title after winning both Indian Wells and Miami back in March, but arrives at Roland Garros with some doubts around her form following a quarter-final defeat to Hailey Baptiste in Madrid and a shock third-round exit against Sorana Cirstea in Rome. The world number one insists she is fully fit and ready to go, and opens her campaign against Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Elsewhere, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka plays Laura Siegemund of Germany, while the Philippines’ Alexandra Eala faces a tough opener against 17th seed Iva Jovic.
