Coco Gauff is defending her singles titles in the second tennis grand slam of the calendar year at the French Open 2026.
Reigning men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz will not be able to claim a third consecutive title because of a wrist injury that will also stop the world number two from playing at Wimbledon in June and July.
That means Jannik Sinner is the strong favourite to succeed the Spaniard, having lost the final to Alcaraz in five sets last year.
Here are all the key details to follow the 2026 French Open, including the schedule and how to watch on TV and live stream.
When is the French Open 2026? Tennis tournament dates
The main draw starts with the first round on Sunday, May 24 2026 and runs until Sunday, June 7.
What time does play start at the French Open 2026? Order of play
Day sessions start at 11:00 BST / 06:00 ET / 03:00 PT. Here’s the earliest play will begin from the start of the semi-final stage.
| Matches | BST | ET | PT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women’s singles semi-finals | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 |
| First men’s singles semi-final | 14:30 | 09:30 | 06:30 |
| Second men’s singles semi-final | 19:00 | 14:00 | 11:00 |
| Men’s singles final | 15:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 |
French Open 2026 confirmed schedule, full dates
Here’s the full schedule for the singles competition.
| Date | Stage |
| Sunday, May 24 | First round |
| Monday, May 25 | First round |
| Tuesday, May 26 | First round |
| Wednesday, May 27 | Second round |
| Thursday, May 28 | Second round |
| Friday, May 29 | Third round |
| Saturday, May 30 | Third round |
| Sunday, May 31 | Round of 16 |
| Monday, June 1 | Round of 16 |
| Tuesday, June 2 | Quarter-finals |
| Wednesday, June 3 | Quarter-finals |
| Thursday, June 4 | Women’s singles semi-finals |
| Friday, June 5 | Men’s singles semi-finals |
| Saturday, June 6 | Women’s singles final |
| Sunday, June 7 | Men’s singles final |
French Open 2026 draw
Record 10-time champion Novak Djokovic, who is the third seed, was drawn in the same half of the draw as second seed Alex Zverev.
The women’s section starred top seed and 2025 finalist Aryna Sabalenka. Second seed Elena Rybakina and third seed Iga Swiatek were in the same sections.
You can see the results of the draw and track the latest results and schedule here.
Where to watch the French Open 2026: TV channel, live online stream
TNT Sports have the live broadcast rights to the 2026 French Open in the UK and US. UK subscriptions cost £30.99 a month.
Streaming is on the HBO Max app, available on a vast range of devices including smart TVs and gaming consoles.
Who will win the French Open 2026? Roland Garros contenders
Reigning Wimbledon champion Sinner is the top seed and began the tournament on a 29-match winning run.
“He’s maybe in the form of his life and, without Carlos being here, it also increases his chances even more of claiming more Grand Slam titles,” accepted Djokovic.
“[Alcarez] is a two-time defending champ. It’s a big blow for the tournament not to have him, but that doesn’t change my approach.
“My primary concern is my body. If I’m healthy throughout the tournament, I also have a very good chance, like I showed in Australia [losing the final to Alcaraz].
“We have talked a lot about how impressive [Sinner] is on all surfaces. People are maybe questioning, because of his game style, whether he would be as dominant on clay as on hard court, for example.
“But he has proven that that’s also the case, which is really amazing. He has a lot of time ahead of him.”
Sabalenka and Swiatek are the favourites in the women’s singles, with Rybakina and Gauff also expected to challenge.
“I’m super happy to be back,” said Sabalenka, explaining how she has overcome physical concerns and worked on her mental game.
“I’m definitely feeling much better. I struggled at the beginning of the clay court season physically, but right now I feel 100%.
“We focused on recovery and making sure that I’m healed everywhere and I’m ready to go.
“My emotions were destroying my game and my level was dropping dramatically when I would start over-reacting on everything.
“My opponents would see that and they would step in and play better. So it was about making sure that my opponent doesn’t see what’s going on in my head and, at the same time, performing better and staying in the zone.
“That’s improved hugely over the years in my career and really helped me to level up.”