The first week of Roland Garros has delivered plenty of drama, both on and off the court. While players continue to press Grand Slam organizers over prize money and revenue sharing, the tournament has also sparked conversations about heat, officiating, tennis history, and the culture surrounding the sport.
Jannik Sinner might have a heat problem, but tennis has a bigger one: This year, with Carlos Alcaraz on the sidelines until at least Wimbledon with a wrist injury, Jannik Sinner looked like he would cruise toward finals weekend. Then, a heat wave descended on Paris. Full Story: The Athletic
Breaking Down the Players’ Media Protest at Roland Garros: Top players participated in the move, bringing attention to their push for a revamped revenue-sharing model with the majors. Full Story: Sports Illustrated
As tennis stars protest, French Open fans flock to see the lower-ranked players they say they support: In the interview rooms, the biggest stars in the game, who shortened their duties to 10 minutes of news conference and a five-minute video interview just for Friday, said that their protest over Grand Slam prize money is designed to support those very players. Full Story: The Athletic
After French loss, Adolfo Daniel Vallejo critiques umpire, wanted man in chair: Adolfo Daniel Vallejo says his French Open loss to a home favorite teenager should not have been umpired by a woman. Vallejo was unhappy with the time Kouame was allowed to take between points and argued that Ana Carvalho, an experienced official, was not strong enough to control the crowd. Full Story: ESPN
Traveling solo and bunking up – life on the lower rung: Solo traveling, sleeping in a transit van and sharing rooms are all money-saving tricks used by lower-ranked players over the years. It is one of the reasons tennis’ top players say they protested about pay at the French Open – to drive change for the good of the game. Full Story: BBC
The Tenniseum ‘Serving for Equality: A History of Women’s Tennis ‘ Exhibit: From the ‘Original 9’ – nine players, including Billie Jean King, who revolutionised tennis by laying the foundations for what would become the women’s tour – to the creation of the WTA, the exhibition explores the struggles for equality, and prize money in particular. This exhibition also highlights the FFT’s strategy to promote women’s tennis, as well as the many women who contribute to the sport’s ecosystem (officials, executives, ball girls, coaches, etc.). The exhibition will extend beyond the Roland-Garros tournament, running until the end of March 2027. Full Story: Roland Garros
Why the French Open is named after Roland Garros, who didn’t play tennis: Roland Garros, however, was an aviation pioneer and World War I fighter pilot with no known connection to the racquet sport. Full Story: NPR
Serena Williams set to return to tennis with grass season comeback: According to reporting by Jon Wertheim on the “Served” podcast released May 27, the 23‑time Grand Slam champion has requested a doubles wildcard to play alongside 19‑year‑old Canadian world No. 9 Victoria Mboko at the Queen’s Club in London. Full Story: NBC 4 (Los Angeles)
Tennis Australia hires NRL CEO Andrew Abdo to replace Craig Tiley: Tennis Australia has hired Andrew Abdo from the National Rugby League to replace Craig Tiley as chief executive officer. Tiley announced in February that he was quitting his roles as Australian Open tournament director and Tennis Australia CEO to join the U.S. Tennis Association, which runs the U.S. Open. Full Story: ESPN
A New Book Explores the Unique Relationship Between Tennis and Fashion: From René Lacoste to Coco Gauff, ACE: The Times & Style of Tennis is a timely exploration of how the on-court fashion has permeated culture. Full Story: Vogue
Forties’ love: tennis serves me a perfect midlife crisis: There comes a time when every man must choose how to tackle an impending midlife crisis. A Maserati? A marathon? A mistress? Lacking the wealth, stamina, or sheer Italian-ness for any of the above, the author chose tennis. Full Story: The Spectator
This Week in Professional Tennis
| Date | Tournament | Tour/Level | Location |
| 5/24-6/7 | Roland Garros | Grand Slam | France |