2023 French Open
The 2023 French Open, officially known as Roland-Garros, was a professional tennis tournament held from 28 May to 11 June 2023 at Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, France, on outdoor red clay courts.[1][2] The event featured singles, doubles, and mixed doubles competitions for men and women, with a total prize money of €49.6 million, marking a 12.3% increase from the previous year.[3] In the men's singles final, Serbia's Novak Djokovic defeated Norway's Casper Ruud 7–6(7–1), 6–3, 7–5 to claim his third French Open title and 23rd Grand Slam singles championship overall.[4] Poland's Iga Świątek defended her women's singles crown, outlasting Czech Republic's Karolina Muchová 6–2, 5–7, 6–4 in a match that extended into a third set after Muchová mounted a comeback.[5] The tournament drew attention for Djokovic's on-court message "Kosovo je Srbija" ("Kosovo is Serbia") during his first-round victory, which referenced the disputed region's status and elicited mixed reactions amid ongoing Balkan tensions.[6] Rafael Nadal's withdrawal due to hip injury shifted the men's draw dynamics, allowing Djokovic to capitalize on the absence of the 14-time champion.[7]
Background
Venue and dates
The 2023 French Open was held at the Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, France, specifically in the 16th arrondissement adjacent to the Bois de Boulogne.[8][9] The venue, named after French aviator Roland Garros, features multiple outdoor clay courts, including the main Court Philippe-Chatrier with a capacity of approximately 15,000 spectators following renovations completed prior to the event.[10][11] The main draw of the tournament ran from 28 May to 11 June 2023, encompassing qualifying rounds that began on 22 May.[12][13][14] This schedule aligned with the traditional late-spring timing for the clay-court Grand Slam, culminating in the men's singles final on 11 June.[12]Surface characteristics and conditions
The red clay courts at Stade Roland Garros consist of a thin top layer of crushed terracotta brick dust, approximately 2 mm thick, applied over a multi-layered foundation that includes compacted limestone, gravel, clinker, and stones for drainage and stability.[15][16] This composition results in the slowest playing surface among major tennis venues, with balls experiencing significant deceleration and high bounces upon impact, typically 20-30% higher than on hard or grass courts.[17][18] Court speed is further modulated by daily maintenance practices, including watering to preserve moisture, which slows the ball's rebound velocity and enhances grip for sliding movements; drier conditions accelerate play by reducing friction.[19] The surface demands exceptional endurance and topspin proficiency from players, as the loose particles create unpredictable bounces and necessitate frequent direction changes with lateral slides rather than abrupt stops.[16][20] During the 2023 tournament, held from May 28 to June 11, variable weather in Paris contributed to inconsistent conditions, with wind gusts and excess moisture making courts particularly slippery, as reported by Novak Djokovic after his second-round match on June 1.[21] Rain interruptions, common on clay due to poor drainage compared to other surfaces, occurred periodically, though retractable roofs on major show courts like Philippe-Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen mitigated some delays starting from 2020 installations.[22] No alterations to the standard clay formula or preparation protocols were implemented for 2023, maintaining the surface's traditional characteristics that favor baseline grinders over serve-dominant players.[17][19]Qualifying rounds and entries
The qualifying rounds for the 2023 French Open were held from May 22 to 26, 2023, at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, immediately preceding the main draw.[23][24] These rounds featured 128 players in the men's singles qualifying draw and 128 in the women's, each competing in a three-round, single-elimination tournament to secure one of 16 available main-draw spots per gender.[25] All matches were played as best-of-three sets on outdoor red clay courts, mirroring the surface of the main event but distinct from the five-set format used in the men's main-draw rounds.[24] Entry into the qualifying draws was determined by ATP and WTA rankings, with players below the main-draw cutoff eligible to compete for promotion.[26] Wild cards for qualifying were awarded to select players, including French prospects and those seeking match practice, with allocations announced on May 15, 2023.[27] The qualifying entry lists were published in advance, incorporating protected rankings for players returning from extended absences, such as injuries, to facilitate their participation without full reliance on current standings.[26] For the main draw, entries comprised direct acceptances for the top-ranked players—typically 104 to 108 per singles event based on the rankings cutoff—eight wild cards per gender, often prioritizing French talent or special cases, and the 16 qualifiers from each event.[24][27] Main-draw wild cards were finalized on May 15, 2023, alongside those for qualifying, ensuring a mix of established competitors and emerging players.[27] In cases of withdrawals after the draw, lucky losers from the final round of qualifying filled vacancies, maintaining the 128-player field integrity.[24]Participants
Singles seeds and notable players
The seeding for the men's and women's singles draws at the 2023 French Open was based on the respective ATP and WTA rankings released on May 22, 2023, with the top 32 players in each field receiving seeds to distribute top talent across the bracket and minimize early collisions between high-ranked competitors.[2][28] Men's singles seeds included world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz as the top seed, followed by Daniil Medvedev and the 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.[29]| Seed | Player | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Alcaraz | Spain |
| 2 | Daniil Medvedev | Russia |
| 3 | Novak Djokovic | Serbia |
| 4 | Casper Ruud | Norway |
| 5 | Stefanos Tsitsipas | Greece |
| 6 | Andrey Rublev | Russia |
| 7 | Holger Rune | Denmark |
| 8 | Jannik Sinner | Italy |
| 9 | Hubert Hurkacz | Poland |
| 10 | Taylor Fritz | United States |
| 11 | Cameron Norrie | Great Britain |
| 12 | Felix Auger-Aliassime | Canada |
| 13 | Ugo Humbert | France |
| 14 | Matteo Berrettini | Italy |
| 15 | Alexander Zverev | Germany |
| 16 | Lorenzo Musetti | Italy |
Notable players beyond the top seeds included 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal, who withdrew on May 19, 2023, citing chronic hip and psoas injuries that had limited his 2023 schedule to just four matches prior.[26] Alexander Zverev, seeded 27th after recovering from an ACL tear sustained at the 2022 French Open semifinals, marked a significant return.[31] In the women's draw, former world No. 3 Elina Svitolina received a wildcard after resuming competition following maternity leave, having given birth in October 2022.[26]
Doubles teams and draws
The men's doubles draw consisted of 64 teams, including 16 seeded pairs determined by combined ATP doubles rankings as of the week prior to the tournament.[34] The top seeds were Wesley Koolhof from the Netherlands and Neal Skupski from Great Britain, who entered as the world No. 1 ranked team.[35] Defending champions Marcelo Arévalo from El Salvador and Jean-Julien Rojer from the Netherlands received a seeding based on their prior performance.[36] The draw, conducted on May 25, 2023, placed seeds in positions to minimize early encounters among top teams, with matches played in a best-of-three sets format featuring tiebreaks in all sets.[37] [34] The women's doubles draw also featured 64 teams with 16 seeds allocated by combined WTA doubles rankings.[34] Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková from the Czech Republic entered as the top seeds and world No. 1 pair, aiming for a third French Open title after victories in 2018 and 2021.[36] Notable unseeded entries included Leylah Fernandez from Canada and Taylor Townsend from the United States, who later reached the final after defeating the second-seeded Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula.[38] The draw followed the same May 25 ceremony and format as the men's event.[37] Mixed doubles involved a 32-team draw with seeds assigned based on combined rankings of male and female partners.[34] The event emphasized ad hoc pairings, with top entries including established players like those from the 2022 champion duo of Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia, though new combinations dominated.[36] Matches adhered to best-of-three sets with match tiebreaks in the third set, and the draw integrated into the overall tournament scheduling starting May 28, 2023.[12]Senior events
Men's singles
Novak Djokovic defeated Casper Ruud in the men's singles final on June 11, 2023, with a score of 7–6(7–1), 6–3, 7–5, securing his third French Open title and a record 23rd Grand Slam singles championship.[39][4] The tournament featured significant early upsets, including second seed Daniil Medvedev's second-round loss to qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild in five sets, 6–7(3), 7–6(5), 1–6, 7–6(5), 6–3, marking one of the most notable surprises of the event.[40] Eighth seed Jannik Sinner also exited in the second round, falling to Daniel Altmaier in another five-set thriller, 2–6, 6–3, 6–7(5), 7–6(3), 6–2.[41] Top seed Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semifinals, defeating fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals 6–2, 6–1, 7–6(7–5), but was hampered by cramps in his semifinal match against Djokovic, losing 6–3, 5–7, 6–1, 6–1.[42][43] Djokovic, seeded third, progressed steadily, overcoming 11th seed Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals 4–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–2, 6–4 after a competitive battle.[43] In the other semifinal, fourth seed Ruud dominated 22nd seed Alexander Zverev 6–3, 6–4, 6–0, capitalizing on Zverev's serving inconsistencies.[29] Other quarterfinalists included unseeded Stan Wawrinka, who defeated Holger Rune, and Tomas Martin Etcheverry, a lucky loser who upset Andrey Rublev, highlighting the depth and unpredictability of the draw on clay courts.[44] Djokovic's path featured wins over lower-ranked opponents early, building momentum for his deep run, while Ruud maintained consistency against higher seeds until the final.[29] The men's singles draw included 32 seeds based on ATP rankings, with Alcaraz as the top seed despite recent injury concerns, followed by Medvedev, Djokovic, and Ruud.[29] Absent was Rafael Nadal, the 14-time champion, sidelined by injury, which shifted expectations toward younger contenders like Alcaraz.[45] Djokovic's victory underscored his adaptability on the slower, high-bouncing red clay of Roland Garros, where endurance and baseline play proved decisive.[42]Women's singles
The women's singles event at the 2023 French Open featured 128 players competing from May 28 to June 10, 2023, on outdoor clay courts at Stade Roland Garros in Paris. Top-seeded Iga Świątek of Poland dominated much of the tournament, extending her clay-court winning streak to 19 matches before the final, and ultimately defended her title for the third consecutive year by defeating unseeded Karolína Muchová of the Czech Republic 6–2, 5–7, 6–4 in the championship match.[46][47] This victory marked Świątek's fourth Grand Slam singles title overall and solidified her status as the preeminent player on clay, having lost only one set prior to the final.[46] Muchová, returning from a year-long injury absence, staged a remarkable run to her first Grand Slam final, highlighted by straight-sets upsets over eighth seed Maria Sakkari in the first round and second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals, where Sabalenka faltered in a third-set collapse despite leading 4–0.[48][49] In the final, Muchová took the second set and broke Świątek early in the third, but the world No. 1 recovered to win four straight games and secure the match after 2 hours and 47 minutes.[47] Świątek's path included a quarterfinal win over American Coco Gauff and a semifinal victory against unseeded Anastasia Potapova, dropping just three sets in the tournament excluding the final.[50] Several seeded players exited early, contributing to an unpredictable draw. Tenth seed Karolína Plíšková fell in the second round to American Sloane Stephens, while Sakkari's first-round loss represented the highest seed eliminated at that stage.[51] Third seed Jessica Pegula and fourth seed Elena Rybakina advanced to the quarterfinals but were defeated by Muchová and Świątek, respectively, underscoring the Czech player's threat level.[29] Świątek's tournament performance yielded a 97% first-serve points won rate in the final and minimal unforced errors, reflecting her tactical adaptability and baseline consistency on the slower clay surface.[46]Men's doubles
Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Austin Krajicek of the United States, seeded fourth, defeated unseeded Belgians Sander Gillé and Joran Vliegen 6–3, 6–1 in the men's doubles final on 10 June 2023.[52][53] The victory secured Dodig and Krajicek's first Grand Slam title as a team and elevated Krajicek to the world No. 1 doubles ranking.[54][53] The champions avenged their 2022 final loss at Roland Garros, where they squandered three match points against Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.[52][55] Top seeds Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands and Neal Skupski of Great Britain exited in the quarterfinals, upset by tenth seeds Granollers of Spain and Zeballos of Argentina 6–3, 7–6(7–4).[56] Gillé and Vliegen, as unseeded entrants, advanced through the draw by defeating higher-ranked pairs, culminating in their runner-up finish.[52] The tournament drew 64 players across 32 teams, with matches played on outdoor red clay courts from 28 May to 10 June.[12] Dodig claimed his third major doubles title overall, while Krajicek earned his second.[53]Women's doubles
Hsieh Su-wei of Chinese Taipei and Wang Xinyu of China, an unseeded pair, won the women's doubles title by defeating the tenth-seeded Leylah Fernandez of Canada and Taylor Townsend of the United States 1–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–1 in the final on June 11, 2023.[57][58] This marked Hsieh's third Grand Slam doubles title and Wang's first, achieved after upsetting five seeded teams en route to the championship.[57] The top seeds, Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková of the Czech Republic, entered as favorites having won the event in 2018 and 2021, but were eliminated early.[36] Second seeds Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula of the United States advanced to the semifinals before suffering a decisive 6–0, 6–4 loss to Fernandez and Townsend in 66 minutes.[59] In the other semifinal, Hsieh and Wang overcame Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Ellen Perez of Australia 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, continuing their run of defeating higher-ranked opponents.[59] The tournament draw included 64 teams competing on outdoor clay courts at Stade Roland Garros from May 28 to June 11, with matches integrated into the overall schedule alongside singles events. Fernandez and Townsend, reaching their first Grand Slam doubles final as a team, demonstrated strong serving and net play but faltered in the decisive third set against Hsieh's tactical variety and Wang's baseline consistency.[57] The victory highlighted the unpredictability of doubles formats, where unseeded pairs can prevail through momentum and fewer service breaks compared to singles.[58]Mixed doubles
Miyu Kato of Japan and Tim Pütz of Germany won the 2023 French Open mixed doubles title, defeating Bianca Andreescu of Canada and Michael Venus of New Zealand in the final, 4–6, 6–4, 10–6, on June 8.[60][61] The match, played as the third set super tiebreak, marked Kato's first Grand Slam mixed doubles championship and Pütz's first major title in the discipline.[60] This victory came days after Kato's controversial disqualification from the women's doubles quarterfinals for inadvertently hitting a ball girl with a ball during a frustration-induced smash, an incident she described as unjust and which drew sympathy from peers.[61][62] The tournament featured a 32-team draw, with matches contested best-of-three sets and a match tiebreak replacing the third set, consistent with Grand Slam mixed doubles format on clay courts.[34] Kato and Pütz, unseeded entrants partnering for the first time at a major, advanced through the draw by defeating teams including Asia Muhammad / Lloyd Glasspool in the semifinals.[63] Andreescu and Venus, who entered as higher-ranked contenders based on prior form, had progressed past opponents such as Gabriela Dabrowski and her partner earlier in the event.[63] The final showcased resilient play from the winners, who recovered from a first-set loss amid variable weather conditions typical of late-tournament Roland Garros scheduling.[64] Kato's performance highlighted her versatility across doubles formats, having reached the women's doubles semifinals before the disqualification, while Pütz leveraged his experience from ATP doubles events to secure key points in net exchanges and returns.[60] The runners-up, Andreescu and Venus, demonstrated strong serving and baseline stability but faltered in the decisive tiebreak, where Kato and Pütz converted on aggressive volleys.[61] This outcome contributed to the event's €500,000 equal prize money split for mixed doubles champions, underscoring the tournament's commitment to parity in payouts across disciplines.[34]Wheelchair and adaptive events
Wheelchair singles
Tokito Oda of Japan won the men's wheelchair singles title at the 2023 French Open, defeating top-seeded Alfie Hewett of Great Britain 6–1, 6–4 in the final on 10 June 2023.[65] As the second seed, Oda, aged 17 years and 33 days, became the youngest winner of the event and ascended to world No. 1 in men's wheelchair tennis rankings following the tournament.[66] The draw featured eight players, with quarterfinal results including Oda's 6–2, 6–1 victory over Martin de la Puente of Spain and Hewett's 6–0, 6–1 win against Guy Sasson of Israel. Diede de Groot of the Netherlands claimed the women's wheelchair singles crown, overpowering Yui Kamiji of Japan 6–2, 6–0 in the final.[67] The top seed and four-time defending champion extended her career Grand Slam singles tally and maintained dominance in her 55th career matchup against Kamiji, leading the head-to-head 37–18.[67] The women's draw also included eight competitors, highlighted by de Groot's semifinal triumph over Aniek van Koot of the Netherlands 7–5, 6–2.Wheelchair doubles
In the men's wheelchair doubles event, Britain's Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid, the three-time defending champions, defeated Argentina's Gustavo Fernández and Spain's Martín de la Puente in the final with a score of 7–6(11–9), 7–5 on June 10, 2023.[68] This victory marked their fourth consecutive French Open doubles title and their 17th Grand Slam doubles title as a pair.[68] [69] In the women's wheelchair doubles, Japan's Yui Kamiji and South Africa's Kgothatso Montjane claimed the title, securing their second Grand Slam doubles partnership win.[70] The pair had previously partnered successfully at other majors, demonstrating consistent performance on clay surfaces.[70]Junior events
Boys' competitions
Dino Prižmić of Croatia won the boys' singles title at the 2023 French Open, defeating Juan Carlos Prado Ángelo of Bolivia in the final 6–1, 6–4 on 10 June 2023.[71][72] Prižmić, a 17-year-old unseeded entrant prior to the tournament but seeded third in the draw, demonstrated strong baseline play and serve effectiveness throughout the event.[71] Prado Ángelo's appearance in the final marked the first time a Bolivian player reached a junior Grand Slam singles final.[73] In the boys' doubles competition, Yaroslav Demin of Russia and Rodrigo Pacheco Méndez of Mexico secured the championship by defeating the Italian duo of Lorenzo Sciahbasi and Gabriele Vulpitta in the final on 10 June 2023.[74]_01.jpg) As the top seeds, Demin and Pacheco Méndez showcased cohesive teamwork and tactical acumen, advancing through the draw without dropping a set in earlier rounds.[75]Girls' competitions
In the girls' singles competition, third-seeded Alina Korneeva of Russia defeated sixth-seeded Lucciana Pérez Alarcón of Peru in the final on June 10, 2023, with a score of 7–6(7–4), 6–3.[76] Korneeva, aged 16, secured her second consecutive junior Grand Slam title following her Australian Open win earlier in the year, showcasing strong baseline play and composure in the tiebreak.[76] Pérez Alarcón, a 17-year-old Peruvian, reached her first junior Grand Slam final after upsetting higher seeds in earlier rounds, including a quarterfinal victory over a top contender.[74] The girls' doubles title was claimed by American pair Tyra Caterina Grant and Clervie Ngounoue, who beat Alina Korneeva of Russia and Sara Saito of Japan in the final on June 10, 2023, 6–3, 6–2.[77] Grant and Ngounoue, both unseeded, demonstrated effective net play and serving to overcome the experienced Korneeva-Saito duo, marking the first all-American girls' doubles win at Roland Garros since 2005.[77] The event, held on clay courts from June 4 to 10, 2023, featured 32-player draws for both singles and doubles, with matches integrated into the main tournament schedule at Stade Roland Garros.[74]Rankings and financials
ATP and WTA points distribution
The 2023 French Open awarded ATP and WTA ranking points to players based on their performance in singles and doubles competitions, adhering to the standard Grand Slam distribution systems with tour-specific variations in intermediate rounds. These points contribute to players' 52-week rolling totals for official rankings, emphasizing deeper progression in the 128-player singles draws and 64-team doubles draws.[78] For men's and women's singles, points escalated with advancement, starting at 10 for first-round participants on both tours: ATP Singles Points Distribution| Round | Points |
|---|---|
| Winner | 2000 |
| Runner-up | 1200 |
| Semi-finalists | 720 |
| Quarter-finalists | 360 |
| Round of 16 | 180 |
| Third round | 90 |
| Second round | 45 |
| First round | 10 |
| Round | Points |
|---|---|
| Winner | 2000 |
| Runner-up | 1300 |
| Semi-finalists | 780 |
| Quarter-finalists | 430 |
| Round of 16 | 240 |
| Third round | 130 |
| Second round | 70 |
| First round | 10 |
Prize money allocation
The total prize money for the 2023 French Open was €49,600,000, reflecting a 12.3% increase from 2022.[3] Allocations were equalized between men's and women's events, with singles prizes rising 9.1% overall and early rounds (1–3) receiving 11–13% boosts to support lower-ranked players.[80] Doubles events increased by 4%, while qualifying rounds averaged an 11.8% uplift.[3] [80] Singles prize money per player (men's and women's):| Round | Amount (€) |
|---|---|
| Winner | 2,300,000 |
| Runner-up | 1,150,000 |
| Semi-final | 630,000 |
| Quarter-final | 400,000 |
| Round of 16 | 240,000 |
| Third round | 142,000 |
| Second round | 97,000 |
| First round | 69,000 |
Key matches and outcomes
Final results and champions
In the men's singles final on June 11, 2023, Novak Djokovic of Serbia defeated Casper Ruud of Norway 7–6(1), 6–3, 7–5 to claim his third French Open title and a record 23rd Grand Slam singles championship overall.[4][81] This victory marked Djokovic's 24th consecutive major final appearance and extended his lead in the all-time men's Grand Slam titles tally.[82] In the women's singles final on June 10, 2023, Iga Świątek of Poland overcame Karolína Muchová of the Czech Republic 6–2, 5–7, 6–4 to secure her third consecutive French Open title and fourth Grand Slam singles crown.[5][83] Świątek's win improved her French Open record to 27–2 and solidified her dominance on clay, where she held a 19-match winning streak entering the final.[84]| Event | Champion(s) | Final Score | Runner-up(s) | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's singles | Novak Djokovic (SRB) | 7–6(1), 6–3, 7–5 | Casper Ruud (NOR) | June 11 |
| Women's singles | Iga Świątek (POL) | 6–2, 5–7, 6–4 | Karolína Muchová (CZE) | June 10 |