Alcaraz's withdrawal has turned the men's draw into a clearer arithmetic problem, leaving Jannik Sinner the tournament's frontrunner. Coco Gauff, the defending champion, must now defend a title from the same half as world number one Aryna Sabalenka, which could produce a high-stakes meeting before the final. Play began at Stade Roland-Garros on 24 May and runs through 7 June. With France's Arthur Fils also ruled out by injury, the early narrative in Paris is as much about absences as it's about favourites. If seeds hold, a Sinner-Djokovic final and a Gauff-Sabalenka clash are realistic possibilities.

Play started on 24 May at Stade Roland-Garros and the first days of the tournament have already been defined as much by absence as by presence. Two headline withdrawals altered the draw before a ball was struck in earnest. Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time defending men's champion, pulled out while recovering from a wrist injury. France's top-ranked man, Arthur Fils, withdrew after a hip problem flared following his appearance in Rome.

Men's draw reshaped

Alcaraz's withdrawal removes one of the principal obstacles standing between several contenders and a place in the latter stages. Jannik Sinner, who still needs a Roland-Garros title to complete a career grand slam, has been left as the clearest favourite on the men's side. Novak Djokovic is placed in the opposite half of the draw, which makes a Sinner-Djokovic final a realistic pathway if both negotiate their sections without upset.

The loss of Arthur Fils will be felt keenly by the home crowd. Fils, who sits at world number 19, told media he had tried to be ready but couldn't risk aggravating the injury. "I won't be able to play here this year," he said, adding he didn't want to take short-term measures that would jeopardise his longer-term health. His withdrawal deprives the tournament of one of its local storylines and shifts responsibilities onto other French players to carry the home flag.

With Alcaraz absent, the men’s draw now reads as a clearer arithmetic problem. Sinner carries the form and ranking to be favoured, Djokovic the experience and title pedigree. Both will be watched for how they handle late-match pressure on clay, the surface where point construction and patience matter most.

Mastheads

Coco Gauff arrives in Paris as the reigning champion and one of the headline attractions. She was placed in the same half as Aryna Sabalenka, the world number one, which sets up the possibility of a marquee clash before the final.

Iga Swiatek is also listed among the pre-tournament favourites on the back of past success at Roland-Garros, meaning the women’s side is packed with proven clay-court performers.

Gauff's task is simple to describe and hard to execute. Defend a major and survive a half that contains Sabalenka and Swiatek. The draw does her no favours in that sense, but a champion's mantle does change the way opponents approach her. She will have to combine the power and movement that won her the title with the match management required across long clay rallies.

Off court, broadcasters and schedules are set for viewers around the world. In the United States, matches will air on TNT and truTV, with every match streaming on HBO Max. Tennis Channel will carry early-day matches, doubles and juniors during the first week, providing the earliest live coverage in the US market each day, with first-ball coverage available from 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

UK listeners can follow daily radio coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra. The BBC's commentary and analysis roster includes Russell Fuller, Katie Smith, Abigail Johnson, David Law and Gigi Salmon, with pundits such as Annabel Croft, Pat Cash, Daniela Hantuchova, Naomi Broady, Ryan Harrison and Leon Smith. The BBC follows a set daily schedule at Roland-Garros that includes an afternoon session at 1pm UK time and an evening session around 7:20pm UK time.

At the venue, match timings typically begin at 11:00 a.m. local time on most courts, with organisers and broadcasters planning around that cadence as the tournament moves into the first full days of singles and doubles competition. The revised draw will now settle into place while favourites attempt to capitalise on an altered field.

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The fortnight will reach its decisive moments in early June, with the mixed doubles final set for 4 June, the women’s singles final scheduled for 6 June and the men’s singles final on 7 June. Originally reported by uk.sports.yahoo.com.

This article was created with AI assistance.