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Sinner Opens French Open as Favorite, Alcaraz Out

5/23/2026

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Summary

Sinner Opens French

Jannik Sinner opens the French Open against French wildcard Clement Tabur on May 25 as the tournament favorite.
He arrives on a win streak after winning the Italian Open Masters 1000 title.
He is the first player since Rafael Nadal in 2010 to sweep the Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome Masters 1000 events.
Carlos Alcaraz misses the French Open with a wrist injury, leaving Sinner without his principal rival.

Summary

Players Boycott

Players said the prize pool rose by over €5 million ($8 million CDN) while revenue share fell from 15.5 % to 14.9 %.
Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka warned they may boycott future Grand Slam tournaments because of the split.
Top-10 stars such as Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka plan to protest by refusing media interviews.
Gaël Monfils will retire after this French Open, with Stan Wawrinka opening his farewell tour against Clement Tabur.

History

Historical Context

In 2010 Rafael Nadal became the first player to capture the Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome Masters 1000 events in a single season, securing his 18th Masters 1000 title and a third French Open crown. That precedent frames Jannik Sinner’s identical 2024 sweep, which positions him as the French Open favorite while players such as Gaël Monfils protest the reduced revenue share.

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Sinner Opens French

Jannik Sinner opens the French Open against French wildcard Clement Tabur on May 25 as the tournament favorite.
He arrives on a win streak after winning the Italian Open Masters 1000 title.
He is the first player since Rafael Nadal in 2010 to sweep the Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome Masters 1000 events.
Carlos Alcaraz misses the French Open with a wrist injury, leaving Sinner without his principal rival.

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