Tennis: Everything you need to know about the French Open

6:19 pm on 25 May 2025

Iga Swiatek in action at the French Open in 2024.

Iga Swiatek in action at the French Open last year. This year she is aiming for her fourth consecutive win - which would be her fifth. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Iga Swiatek has spent the past fortnight digesting a tough Rome defeat and recalibrating her mindset as she returns to the Roland-Garros tournament chasing a fourth successive French Open crown.

The Pole admitted she had been weighed down by perfectionism in recent weeks, but believes a subtle shift in attitude could be the key to extending her dominance on Parisian clay.

"After [the third-round defeat in] Rome, I had a lot of time to think about how I played and what my attitude was," Swiatek told reporters. "I realised I needed to change something and maybe get a little bit more energetic before matches."

The 23-year-old, who lifted the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen in 2020, 2022, 2023 and last year, said she had been guilty of over-focusing on mistakes, anchoring them instead of moving past them - a trap for any elite athlete.

"It's not that complicated. Sometimes you just need to be more brave, go for it, and not overthink the errors," she said.

Despite recent frustrations, Swiatek said she was buoyed by strong form on the practice court and a sense of homecoming at Roland Garros, where she feels "just good" both on and off the clay.

As for conditions, she dismissed concerns about the unpredictable spring weather in Paris.

"I feel like I'm a good player in terms of adjusting," she said. "It's all about reacting quickly. No point to overthink it."

What you need to know about the French Open

The French Open is a claycourt Grand Slam tournament organised by the French Tennis Federation. It was first held in 1891 and originally known as the French Championships or Championnat de France.

The French Open is also referred to as Roland Garros after the venue it is staged at, which was named after French fighter pilot and aviator Roland Garros.

When is the French Open happening?

This year's French Open runs from 25 May to 8 June.

Where is the French Open taking place?

The three main showcourts are Court Philippe-Chatrier, Court Suzanne-Lenglen and Court Simonne-Mathieu.
Court Philippe-Chatrier (capacity 15,225) is named after former French Tennis Federation president Philippe Chatrier. It has been the centrepiece of the Roland Garros complex since it was opened in 1928.
Court Suzanne-Lenglen (capacity 10,068) is named in honour of French great Suzanne Lenglen. It was opened in 1994 and named Court A initially. Like Chatrier, it has seen its fair share of historic battles.
Court Simonne-Mathieu (capacity 5000) is the newest of the main showcourts and was inaugurated in 2019. It was named after French tennis player Simonne Mathieu.

Who is involved in the French Open?

The top-ranked players automatically enter the main draw, with 32 seeds announced prior to the draw to ensure they do not meet in the early rounds. Seedings are based on world rankings determined by the points players collect on the tour.
Holder Carlos Alcaraz of Spain is the men's world number three and claimed the third of his four major titles at the 2024 French Open, beating Alexander Zverev of Germany in the final.
Swiatek, the women's world number two, won her fourth French Open trophy and third in succession in 2024, defeating Jasmine Paolini of Italy in the final.
Organisers also hand out wildcards for local hopes and notable players who have dropped down the rankings.

Who are the New Zealanders playing?

Lulu Sun in action against Jasmine Paolini in their third round match at the Italian Open, 8 May, 2025.

New Zealander Lulu Sun in action against Jasmine Paolini in their third round match at the Italian Open, on 8 May. Photo: Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse/Photosport

Te Anau-born Lulu Sun is playing in the women's singles, with her first round match on Sunday night (9pm NZT scheduled start) against Victoria Mboko from Canada. Sun, listed at 45 in the WTA rankings, made the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last year.

Michael Venus and playing partner Nikola Mektic from Croatia are the seventh seeds in the men's doubles. They play Matthew Romios (Australia) and Gregoire Jacq (France) in the first round on Tuesday (9pm scheduled start NZT).

In the women's doubles, Erin Routliffe will team up with former world No 1 singles player Victoria Azarenka as regular partner Gaby Dabrowski is injured. They have a tough first round match, against second seeds Olympic champions Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani on Wednesday (9pm NZT scheduled start).