Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles.
One app.

Start reading

Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles. One news app.

Start reading

The Independent UK

Sport

Jamie Braidwood

When is French Open draw? Projected seeds, wildcards and qualifiers

Jannik Sinner French Open United States Emma Raducanu Jack Draper Carlos Alcaraz Iga Swiatek Novak Djokovic the French Open

Carlos Alcaraz is the defending champion of the men’s singles title - (Getty Images)

The French Open returns at Roland Garros in what appears to one of the most intriguing grand slams in recent memory in Paris.

Jannik Sinner’s return following a three-month doping ban is the talk of the men’s draw, with the top of the sport in disarray in the absence of the World No 1, although Carlos Alcaraz has come into form on the clay with victories in Barcelona and Rome.

On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek will be bidding for a fourth French Open title in a row but is badly out of form. She has not won a title since last year’s victory and Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Jasmine Paolini lead the contenders.

Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, resumes his bid for a 25th grand slam title at the scene of his last title at the Paris Olympics last summer.

In terms of the British players, Jack Draper comes into the French Open firmly placed in the top-five and could be a contender after reaching the Madrid final.

When is the French Open draw?

The French Open main draw will be conducted on Thursday 22 May, commencing at 1pm BST. It will be available to watch on the Roland Garros YouTube channel.

Paris Saint-Germain and France football star Ousmane Dembele will be the guest of honour and will help conduct the draw with tournament director Amelie Mauresmo.

Men’s and women’s singles qualifying will commence on Monday 19 May, concluding on Friday 23 May.

French Open projected seedings

Seedings for the French Open are based on the top 32 in the ATP and WTA rankings, released at the start of the week of the main draw.

Women’s rankings

The big news ahead of the women’s draw is that defending champion Iga Swiatek has slipped to No 5 in the world, with Jasmine Paolini entering the top-four after winning the Italian Open. Swiatek could face Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula or Paolini as early as the quarter-finals.

Britain’s Katie Boulter, Emma Raducanu, Sonay Kartal and Jodie Burrage will enter the draw as unseeded players.

1. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR)

2. Coco Gauff (USA)

3. Jessica Pegula (USA)

4. Jasmine Paolini (ITA)

5. Iga Swiatek (POL)

6. Mirra Andreeva (RUS)

7. Madison Keys (USA)

8. Zheng Qinwen (CHN)

9. Emma Navarro (USA)

10. Paula Badosa (ESP)

11. Diana Shnaider (RUS)

12. Elena Rybakina (KAZ)

13. Elina Svitolina (UKR)

14. Karolína Muchová (CZE)

15. Barbora Krejčíková (CZE)

16. Amanda Anisimova (USA)

17. Daria Kasatkina (RUS)

18. Donna Vekić (CRO)

19. Liudmila Samsonova (RUS)

20. Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS)

21. Jeļena Ostapenko (LAT)

22. Clara Tauson (DEN)

23. Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA)

24. Elise Mertens (BEL)

25. Magdalena Fręch (POL)

26. Marta Kostyuk (UKR)

27. Leylah Fernandez (CAN)

28. Peyton Stearns (USA)

29. Linda Nosková (CZE)

30. Anna Kalinskaya (RUS)

31. Sofia Kenin (USA)

32. Yulia Putintseva (KAZ)

Men’s rankings

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has retaken World No 2 from Alexander Zverev, so can’t play World No 1 Jannik Sinner before the final. Jack Draper, who has never gone past the first rond, is seeded fifth. Novak Djokovic could play any of the top four as early as the quarter-finals.

1. Jannik Sinner (ITA)

2. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)

3. Alexander Zverev (GER)

4. Taylor Fritz (USA)

5. Jack Draper (GBR)

6. Novak Djokovic (SRB)

7. Casper Ruud (NOR)

8. Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)

9. Alex de Minaur (AUS)

10. Holger Rune (DEN)

11. Daniil Medvedev (RUS)

12. Tommy Paul (USA)

13. Ben Shelton (USA)

14. Arthur Fils (FRA)

15. Frances Tiafoe (USA)

16. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)

17. Andrey Rublev (RUS)

18. Francisco Cerundolo (ARG)

19. Jakub Mensik (CZE)

20. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)

21. Tomas Machac (CZE)

22. Ugo Humbert (FRA)

23. Sebastian Korda (USA)

24. Karen Khachanov (RUS)

25. Alexei Popyrin (AUS)

26. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)

27. Denis Shapovalov (CAN)

28. Matteo Berrettini (ITA)

29. Brandon Nakashima (USA)

30. Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)

31. Hubert Hurkacz (POL)

32. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (FRA)

** Jacob Fearnley and Cameron Norrie will enter the main draw as unseeded players.

French Open wildcards

Women’s singles

Destanee Aiava (AUS)

Loïs Boisson (FRA)

Elsa Jacquemot (FRA)

Léolia Jeanjean (FRA)

Iva Jovic (USA)

Chloé Paquet (FRA)

Diane Parry (FRA)

Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah (FRA)

Men’s singles

Terence Atmane (FRA)

Arthur Cazaux (FRA)

Richard Gasquet (FRA)

Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA)

Emilio Nava (USA)

Valentin Royer (FRA)

Tristan Schoolkate (AUS)

Stan Wawrinka (SUI)

When does the French Open start?

The French Open main draw for men’s and women’s singles begins on Sunday 25 May. Women’s semi-final day is Thursday 5 June, with the women’s final played on Saturday 7 June. Men’s semi-final day is Friday 6 June and the men’s final will be played on Sunday 8 June.