French Open 2024: Here’s how to watch on TV, betting odds and more you should know
PARIS (AP) — Catch up on the French Open with a guide that tells you everything you need to know about what happened at the clay-court Grand Slam tennis tournament, what the upcoming schedule is, how to watch, what the betting odds are and more:
There will be an earlier-than-usual start on Friday for the third round: After three days of rain-related interruptions, organizers changed the schedule to have play on the smaller outside courts begin at 10 a.m. (800 GMT; 4 a.m. EDT) on Friday, instead of 11 a.m. Matches at the main stadium, Court Philippe Chatrier, will remain on the program from noon (1000 GMT; 6 a.m. EDT), with 2023 U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff up first there against No. 30 seed Dayana Yastremska. Jannik Sinner, who won the Australian Open in January, will be up next against Pavel Kotov, starting at about 2 p.m. (1200 GMT; 8 a.m. EDT), followed by No. 1 Iga Swiatek against Marie Bouzkova. Court Suzanne Lenglen and Court Simonne Mathieu get going at 11 a.m. The night session in Chatrier, scheduled to start at 8:15 p.m. (1815 GMT; 2:15 p.m. EDT) features two-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz against No. 27 Sebastian Korda.
Rain disrupted the schedule for the third consecutive day. Only the two largest stadiums — Chatrier and Lenglen — have retractable roofs, so play was suspended several times elsewhere. But with artificial lights on every court, they were able to close out the second round, albeit at 12:59 a.m. on Friday. The last match was 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva's three-set victory over two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, who is 34. No. 19 Azarenka was one of several seeded women who were eliminated, a list that included No. 10 Daria Kasatkina, who was defeated 7-5, 6-2 by unseeded American Peyton Stearns. Andreeva and Stearns will meet next, with the winner advancing to the French Open's fourth round for the first time. Defending champion Novak Djokovic moved on at Chatrier with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 win over Roberto Carballes Baena, after two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka defeated Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima 6-2, 6-2 there. Alexander Zverev, Elena Rybakina, Daniil Medvedev and Casper Ruud also advanced to the third round. Denis Shapovalov, who beat No. 25 Frances Tiafoe at Court 11, and Felix Auger-Aliassime gave Canada two men in the third round in Paris for the first time in the Open era.
The tournament announced that it was banning spectators from having alcohol in the stands after some players, including No. 1 Iga Swiatek, complained about rowdy crowds.
— In the U.S.: Tennis Channel, NBC, Peacock.
— Other countries are listed here.
Swiatek (-190) and Alcaraz (+260) remain the favorites to win the singles championships, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The Alcaraz match is considered most likely to end in three sets (-155), whereas wagering that it would go the full five would pay off at +425. Gauff is the money-line favorite at -1000 against Yastremska, who is listed at +575 to win their match.
— Friday: Third Round (Women and Men)
— Saturday: Third Round (Women and Men)
— June 2-3: Fourth Round (Women and Men)
— June 4-5: Quarterfinals (Women and Men)
— June 6: Women’s Semifinals
— June 7: Men’s Semifinals
— June 8: Women’s Final
— June 9: Men’s Final
What to read about the French Open:
— Sacré bleu! The French Open banned alcohol in the stands after fans were called out for rowdiness
— American Peyton Stearns leads a group of unseeded women to surprising victories in Paris
— Iga Swiatek saves a match point and comes back to beat Naomi Osaka at the French Open
— Analysis: No one knows what comes for Rafael Nadal — not even Nadal
— 2023 champ Novak Djokovic enters Roland Garros with “low expectations and high hopes”
— Chris Evert thinks Iga Swiatek could break her record of 7 French Open women’s titles
— Rafael Nadal is not the only French Open player thinking about retirement
55 — Number of singles matches played to their conclusion on Thursday, allowing the tournament to finish the second round on time.
2015 — The last time a woman (Serena Williams) won the Australian Open and French Open in the same season. Aryna Sabalenka is trying to match that feat this year after her title at Melbourne Park.
19 — Consecutive times Novak Djokovic has reached the third round at Roland Garros.
“We’re happy that there’s an atmosphere, that there’s emotion, that there’s a crowd. On the other hand, we’re going to be adamant about respecting the players and the game.” — Tournament director Amélie Mauresmo, explaining the decision to ban alcohol from the stands and to tighten security.
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