French Open 2026 begins Sunday at Roland Garros in Paris without defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz, who has withdrawn because of a wrist injury.
The Grand Slam runs from May 24 to June 7, with the women’s final scheduled for June 6 and the men’s final on June 7, according to AP and tournament schedule reports.
Alcaraz injured his right wrist at the Barcelona Open in April and has also withdrawn from Wimbledon, according to AP-based reporting cited by Outlook India. His absence leaves Jannik Sinner as the top men’s seed and one of the main title favourites.
The tournament also opens amid player unrest over prize money and revenue share. Roland Garros has raised total prize money to about €61.7 million, up roughly 10% from last year, but players have criticised what they see as a shrinking share of Grand Slam revenue.
L’Equipe reported that players planned to limit media-day interviews as part of a protest. The Times reported that top-10 ATP and WTA players were seeking a 22% revenue share by 2030.
Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff were among the leading players who earlier raised the prospect of stronger action over compensation.
Read: Carlos Alcaraz French Open Withdrawal Shocks Fans
In the women’s draw, AP listed Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek among the betting favourites, while Gauff returns as defending champion after winning the 2025 title.
