What to know about the 2022 French Open originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The 2022 French Open has officially arrived and tennis action is returning to Paris.
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WATCH HEREWhile there have been smaller tournaments leading up to the clay-court event, the last Grand Slam on the tennis calendar was the 2022 Australian Open, which was held in January.
On the men's side, Rafael Nadal was crowned champion in a five-set battle against Daniil Medvedev 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 to become the leader in Grand Slam titles in men’s tennis history with 21.
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SIGN UP On the women's side, Ashleigh Barty took down Danielle Collins 6-3, 7-6 to earn her third Grand Slam title and became the first Australian to win an Australian Open singles title since Chris O'Neil in 1978. Since winning her homeland slam, Barty announced her retirement from tennis. She finished as the WTA's world No. 1.For all the American French Open fans, NBC spoke with tennis legend Tracy Austin, and she’s feeling confident about the positive direction U.S. tennis is headed. While there are currently 14 American men and women in the top-15, she believes a number of them can win an upcoming major.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2022 French Open and how to watch the prestigious tournament known for its premier clay courts:
When is the 2022 French Open?
The French Open will run from Monday, May 16, to Sunday, June 5. The qualification rounds will begin on May 16, while the main draw starts on May 22.
Up until the quarterfinals, the day session starts at 5 a.m. ET, while the night session starts at 3 p.m. ET. After the quarterfinals, the day and night session times vary daily.
Where is the 2022 French Open?
The French Open will be held at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France.
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How can I watch the 2022 French Open?
The French Open can be watched on NBC, the NBC Sports App, Peacock and the Tennis Channel.
The NBC/Peacock schedule is as follows, with coverage on other days available on Tennis Channel:
| Event | Date | Time | Where to Watch |
| First Round | May 22 | 1 p.m. ET | Peacock & NBC |
| Third or Fourth Round | May 28 | 2 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Fourth Round & Night Session | May 28 | 2 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Third or Fourth Round & Night Session | May 29 | 12 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Fourth Round | May 30 | 11 a.m. ET | Peacock & NBC |
| Third or Fourth Round & Night Session | May 30 | 3 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Women’s Semifinals | June 2 | 11 a.m. ET | Peacock & NBC |
| Men’s Semifinals | June 3 | 11 a.m. ET | Peacock & NBC |
| Women's Finals & Men's Doubles Final | June 4 | 9 a.m. ET | Peacock & NBC |
| Men's Final | June 5 | 9 a.m. ET | Peacock & NBC |
Who will play the 2022 French Open?
Here's a look at the men's draw:
And here's the women's draw:
Why is the French Open named after Roland Garros?
Roland Garros, who was born in 1888, was a French aviator and a fighter pilot during World War I. He is also the first person to fly over the Mediterranean (1913).
The first French Open tournament was held in 1891, originally a tournament for only French players.
In 1927, the French defeated the U.S. in the Davis Cup for the first time and France decided to build a tennis stadium in honor of the historic victory. The stadium was completed in 1928 and it was named after France's war hero, Roland Garros.
Since then, the official name of the French Open has been Roland Garros. Ironically, Garros was not an avid tennis fan and was not involved with the game.
Who is favored to win the men's 2022 French Open?
The favorite to win the French Open is Novak Djokovic after he captured the Italian Open on May 15. En route to the championship, he secured the 1000th victory of his career.
Despite the odds, there’s a new men’s tennis threat in town and his name is Carlos Alcaraz. The 18-year-old Spaniard is building on the tremendous momentum he created in the Madrid Open, defeating No. 9 Cameron Norrie, No. 3 Rafael Nadal, No. 1 Novak Djokovic and No. 2 Alexander Zverev back-to-back to capture the title on May 8.
Despite being ranked No. 6 in the world, the rising star hasn’t really made a major dent in any Grand Slam draws as his best showing was reaching the quarterfinal of the 2021 U.S. Open. He fell in the second or third round of the other three slams in 2021.
If Alcaraz is feeling healthy and not dealing with an injury during the 2022 French Open, he is one of the main contenders to win the event. Alcaraz reportedly withdrew from the French Open warm-up tournament in Italy due to right ankle pain.
Another top contender to win the French Open is the “King of Clay,” Nadal. Nadal has lifted the La Coupe des Mousquetaires – the French Open men's singles trophy – 13 times but is coming back from a rib injury.
If Alcaraz makes it to the final and has to face either Nadal or Djokovic, the title will most likely come down to the two veterans as they have more experience in the high-pressure moments.
Here are the latest odds for the men’s French Open title, according to our partner, PointsBet:
Novak Djokovic, +160
Carlos Alcaraz, +200
Rafael Nadal, +300
Stefanos Tsitsipas, +800
Alexander Zverev, +1600
Casper Ruud, +3300
Daniil Medvedev, +4000
Jannik Sinner, +4000
Andrey Rublev, +5000
Felix Auger Aliassime, +8000
Hubert Hurkacz, +8000
Diego Schwartzman, +10000
Who is favored to win the women's 2022 French Open?
Iga Swiatek has the complete package.
The 20-year-old from Poland has been absolutely dominant so far this season. The world No. 1 has won five back-to-back titles since the Australian Open, capturing the Qatar Open, Indian Wells, Miami Open, Stuttgart Open and Italian Open. Heading into the French Open, Swiatek is on a 28-match winning streak.
Swiatek is tricky to compete against as she is very crafty and implements incredible placement. She also does a great job of mixing up the pace, which throws off her opponents’ rhythms. Her fitness is also top-notch, making it difficult for her opponents to outlast her on the court. This combination is especially dangerous on the clay as the surface will slow the pace down and force her opponents to go for more on their shots.
On top of all her talent, she's a great competitor who loves to put on a good performance, feeding off the energy from crowds. Swiatek was the winner of the 2020 French Open.
Other women who are playing impressive tennis include Ons Jabeur, Jessica Pegula and Simona Halep.
Here are the latest odds for the women’s French Open title:
Iga Swiatek, -120
Simona Halep, +1000
Paula Badosa, +1600
Ons Jabeur, +1800
Aryna Sabalenka, +2000
Maria Sakkari, +2200
Belinda Bencic, +2200
Bianca Andreescu, +2500
Amanda Anisimova, +4000
Naomi Osaka, +5000
Garbine Muguruza, +5000
Barbora Krejcikova, +5000
Cori Gauff, +5000
Emma Raducanu, +5000
Editor's note: All odds are provided by our partner, PointsBet. PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.
