French Open begins as clay season reaches its peak

The 2026 French Open begins this week, marking the arrival of tennis's premier clay-court championship. Both the 2026 French Open (ATP) and 2026 French Open (WTA) get underway, setting the stage for two weeks of competition at Roland Garros. The tournament draws the world's best players to Paris for the only Grand Slam contested entirely on clay, where racket angles, movement patterns, and baseline endurance separate contenders from the rest. Early-round action begins immediately, with qualifying and main-draw matches kicking off across both draws. The clay courts at Roland Garros will test every player's adaptability and consistency, rewarding those who can control depth and spin while managing the slower court surface. As the field takes shape, storylines around seeding, upsets, and injury comebacks will emerge from the opening rounds. Next week, the tournament moves deeper into the draw as players contend for spots in the second week and a chance to claim one of tennis's most coveted titles.