The second Grand Slam of the calendar year is upon us as the world’s top players descend on Paris for the French Open.
Carlos Alcaraz will be looking to defend the maiden title he won on Court Philippe-Chatrier last year, while the ‘Queen of Clay’ Iga Swiatek is out to right the wrongs of her wretched form in recent weeks.
Novak Djokovic, the three-time champion at Roland Garros, will be without Sir Andy Murray in his corner after the pair ended their coaching experiment just six months into their partnership.
World no1 Jannik Sinner plays in his first Slam since his doping ban following the Australian Open, where the Italian successfully defended his crown.
On the women’s side, Swiatek arrives in the French capital having not won a tournament since last year’s rendition.
She returned to Grand Slam tennis at the Australian Open, falling in the last four to eventual winner Madison Keys.
But who will the top seeds face?
When is the French Open draw?
The French Open draw will take place at 1pm BST on Thursday, May 22, 2025.
The qualifying rounds began on Monday, May 19, 2025, and will run until Friday, May 23, 2025.
Redemption arc: Iga Swiatek
REUTERS
Who will be seeded at the French Open?
Seeding will be based on the most recent ATP and WTA world rankings.
On the men’s and women’s sides, Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka will be the top seeds, while Britain’s Jack Draper is set for a fifth seed slot.
Defending champion Alcaraz’s win in Rome has meant that he has leapfrogged last year’s defeated finalist Alexander Zverev back into second in the rankings, so any potential meeting with Sinner will have to wait until the final.
Djokovic will be sixth – behind Draper – while American Taylor Fritz, who reached the final of last year’s US Open, is at no 4.
In the women’s draw, Swiatek dropped out of the world’s top two for the first time in three years after her defeat by Danielle Collins in Rome, and the five-time Grand Slam champion has fallen to world no 5 in the process.
Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula are at two and three, while Jasmine Paolini’s triumph in her home tournament last week has seen her shoot above Swiatek into the top five.
There will be no British women seeded in Paris.
Which players have got wildcards for the French Open?
Wildcard spots at Grand Slams are highly sought-after, and it is often down to the tournament organisers’ discretion as to which players receive one.
Often, they are awarded to young, up-and-coming talents, local players, and fan favourites, while players can also use their ‘protected ranking’ to gain automatic entry into the main draw if they have slid down the rankings due to injury.
Women’s singles wildcards
Destanee Aiava (Australia)
Léolia Jeanjean (France)
Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah (France)
Men’s singles wildcards
Pierre-Hugues Herbert (France)
Tristan Schoolkate (Australia)
Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland)
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