French Open 2023: Men's draw, schedule, players, prize money & more
The 2023 French Open will be missing record 14-time champion Rafael Nadal, who is still recovering from the injury he suffered at the Australian Open. But there are plenty of other players in the draw who can still make the men's singles event an exciting affair.
Carlos Alcaraz is arguably the heaviest favorite to win the claycourt Major right now. The likes of Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud and Holger Rune are also in the running.
With two weeks of enthralling tennis action awaiting us in Paris, here is everything you need to know about the French Open 2023.
What is the French Open?
The French Open is one of four Grand Slams events on the tennis calendar. Held on clay, it is the most prestigious tournament on the surface.
The inaugural edition of the tournament was in 1891, when only members of French tennis clubs could compete. The winner was H.Briggs, who was an Englishman but resided in Paris.
Over the years, several top players have won the French Open, with Rafael Nadal triumphing on a whopping 14 occasions. France's Max Decugis is next on the list with eight titles, followed by Bjorn Borg with six to his name.
Other past champions include Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, Rod Laver, and Ivan Lendl.
Venue
The French Open 2023 will be held at the Stade Roland Garros, which has three main courts. Court Philippe Chatrier has a capacity of 15,000 while Court Suzanne Lenglen can hold 10,068 spectators. Court Simonne Mathieu has a capacity of 5000.
Players
With Rafael Nadal absent, the French Open 2023 looks more open than recent editions. However, Carlos Alcaraz could still make it a Spanish celebration despite his disappointing third-round exit at the Italian Open.
Alcaraz has been in sensational form this season, and this seems like a golden opportunity for the young Spaniard to win his first French Open.
Daniil Medvedev is the second seed at the claycourt Major. The Russian has improved immensely on the surface this season, most recently winning the Italian Open. Medvedev will fancy his chances at the French Open; defeating him will not be easy.
Novak Djokovic is a contender at every tournament he competes in, and the French Open is no different. With Nadal out, the Serb has a very good chance of surpassing his Grand Slam tally by winning the claycourt Major for the third time in his career.
The likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud, Holger Rune and Andrey Rublev are also capable of having a deep run at Roland Garros.
Other players competing in the tournament include Stan Wawrinka, Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, and Gael Monfils.
Schedule
The qualifying rounds of the claycourt Slam started on May 22 and will go on till May 26. The main draw will commence on May 28, with the first-round matches going on till May 30.
The quarterfinals are set for June 6 and June 7, while the semifinals will take place on June 9. The men's singles final is scheduled to be held on June 11.
Prize Money
The total prize money for the claycourt Major is €49,600,000. The winner will receive a cheque worth €2,300,000, coupled with 2000 ranking points.
Here's a detailed breakdown of the prize money and ranking points:
Where to Watch French Open 2023?
Viewers in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada can watch the French Open 2023 live on the following channels and sites:
USA: All matches will be broadcast on NBC Sports, Peacock TV, Tennis Channel & Bally Sports.
UK: Fans in the UK can watch the proceedings live on Eurosport, Discovery+.
Australia: All matches will be telecast on Nine Network.
Canada: Viewers in Canada can watch all the matches on RDS & TSN.