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Aryna Sabalenka has led the charge for top players on the ATP and WTA Tours asking for a fairer distribution of prize money at Grand Slams.

Sabalenka, along with the likes of Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina, have claimed they are ready to boycott major tournaments to try and help lesser-ranked players who they feel do not earn their fair share in revenue from Grand Slams.

While a boycott did not happen at Roland Garros this year, the argument continues to rumble on and there is a definite chance it could happen in the near future.

Sabalenka defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in straight sets to confirm her first victory at Roland Garros this year, and earn a place in the second round.

During her Roland Garros press conference after picking up her first victory at the Paris Grand Slam, Sabalenka was asked what she thought about critics of her boycott talking dubbing her ‘hypocritical’ for asking for more money.

“I’ve seen a few people making maybe a comparison between you calling for extra prize money and then wearing very expensive diamonds. Do you see in any way how that could be seen as possibly hypocritical?” asked a journalist in Paris.

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Sabalenka was visibly taken aback by the question and offered a retort to the journalist.

“I don’t really see how it can be possible to cross these two completely different worlds. And as I said before, prize money, it’s not like it’s about me at all,” she said.

“It’s just fighting for players, lower ranked players who are really struggling to survive in this tennis world. It has nothing to do with me that I’m fighting for the prize money. Everyone knows that I’m okay.

“It’s just that we are fighting for a fair amount fair percentage out of the revenues and also for the lower ranked, players coming back after injuries, the next generation to be more comfortable coming into the top 10. So it’s not about me.”

Sabalenka previously cut her first Roland Garros press conference short, as a joint protest from the players across the men’s and women’s draw.

Explaining the decision, Sabalenka said:”I’m here to talk to you because I have respect for you guys. We just wanted to make our point and we are united – 15 minutes is better than zero. As I said a thousand times today, I have huge respect, but we know what’s happening here, so thank you so much.”

Sabalenka will await the winner of the first round tie between Linda Fruhvirtová and Elsa Jacquemot for her second round match. She has been placed in the same section of the draw as Iva Jovic, Naomi Osaka, and Emma Navarro at the French Grand Slam.

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Daniil Medvedev suffered a shock five-set opening round defeat at the 2026 French Open after he was told to “behave” during an exchange with his wife.

No 6 seed Medvedev was beaten 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 by 97th-ranked Australian wildcard Adam Walton on Court Simone-Mathieu at Roland Garros on Tuesday.

Medvedev committed 60 unforced errors and lost his serve six times, while he converted only five of the 21 break points he had on Walton’s serve.

The match was played in high temperatures in Paris, and Medvedev expressed his frustration about the difficult conditions.

Following the 30-year-old Russian’s complaints during the first set, his wife Daria Medvedeva was heard saying: “It’s hot for everybody. Everybody is suffering. You need to behave!”

Medvedev replied: “When I start finding the court I’ll start to behave.”

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Alex Corretja, a former world No 2 and two-time French Open finalist, spoke about Medvedev’s mid-match disputes with his team in the TNT Sports studio.

“Well, it’s funny… Daniil needs that,” Corretja said. “He needs these kinds of conversations.

“Sometimes, he doesn’t even think what he’s saying. Sometimes, you say things, remember [Carlos Alcaraz] saying in Miami, ‘I want to go home, I’m tired’, and everybody went nuts, saying, ‘what’s going on, you can’t say that’.

“Sometimes, you can say things to relieve a little bit of the stress you’re feeling.”

Former world No 4 Tim Henman reacted to Walton’s victory over Medvedev on TNT Sports and Eurosport.

“That’s the result of his life, I think. On a massive stage at Roland Garros, taking out a Grand Slam champion, former world No 1.

“Admittedly, clay isn’t Medvedev’s best surface. He had so many chances, there were some epic rallies. To finish it off in five on a day like today, full credit to the Aussie.”

Medvedev arrived at the French Open following a run to the semi-finals in Rome, but he has now suffered seven first round exits in 10 Roland Garros appearances.

Henman continued: “He’s been top 10 for a long time, his ranking did drop at the end of last year, but he has a new coaching team.

“His form has been improving, an upward trajectory, but this record at Roland Garros is not one he’s going to be proud of.”

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Despite a litany of issues heading into Roland Garros, Novak Djokovic is one of the favourites to win the French Grand Slam this year.

The star had only played one clay court match prior to Roland Garros and he seemed to be suffering from an injury at the Italian Open.

Djokovic has been boosted by the withdrawal of Carlos Alcaraz and he began the competition as the third seed, behind only Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner.

The Serbian won his first match at the French Open against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, but he did drop a set against the big serving Frenchman.

Djokovic will play Valentin Royer in the second round, but he’s been given the short straw when it comes to his scheduling at the Grand Slam.

The Serbian played a night match against Mpetshi Perricard, but he will have to play during the intense heats that have hit the French Open so far this year.

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The temperature is predicted to hit highs of 34 degrees on Wednesday, 26th May, and Djokovic could hit the court at around 4pm French time, which could be relentless for the Serbian.

It could be even earlier depending on the results of the two matches prior to his battle with Royer.

He will play after Iga Swiatek vs Sara Bejlek and Elina Svitolina’s match with Katlin Quevedo, with both matches expected to go in favour of the seeded players.

Should Swiatek and Svitolina win in straight sets, which will be expected by players of their calibre, Djokovic could be in real trouble playing during the heatwave.

Djokovic is rumoured to have an injury, so the last thing he will want is to be slogging it with Royer throughout the intense French heats.
they’re forecasting as the hottest in the entire tournament, with 34 degrees.

Alternatively, Alexander Zverev is the player who has received a lucky break, as he will play the night time match on Philippe-Chatrier on Wednesday’s order of play.

Zverev is set for a tough second round clash with Tomas Machac, so he will be delighted that he will play most of his match when the sun has gone down.

Jasmine Paolini, Rafael Jodar, and Joao Fonseca are also slated to play at the same time as Djokovic, so there could be heaps of upsets at Roland Garros in the early rounds.

Djokovic could play Fonseca in the third round if he beats Royer. Alternatively, he could be set for another clay court match with Dino Prizmic.

Prizmic stunned Djokovic at the Italian Open, so the 24-time Grand Slam champion will be more than wary of the talented Croatian star.

Casper Ruud, who suffered in the French heat in his first round match against Roman Safiullin, has been rewarded for his close upset by being given the night time match on Suzanne-Lenglen.

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John McEnroe has weighed in on Novak Djokovic’s chances of winning a 25th Grand Slam title in light of Carlos Alcaraz’s injury blow.

World No 2 Alcaraz has been forced to miss the ongoing French Open due to a right wrist injury, while he has also withdrawn from the 2026 Wimbledon Championships.

The 23-year-old Spanish star won the 2026 Australian Open — his maiden crown at the Melbourne major and seventh Grand Slam overall.

Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in four sets in the championship match at Melbourne Park after the latter overcame Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals.

Djokovic, who turned 39 last week, is bidding to become the oldest player in tennis history to secure a major singles title. The Serbian won his 24th and most recent Slam at the 2023 US Open.

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Speaking on a TNT Sports media call attended by Tennis365, which took place before the French Open draw, McEnroe addressed how Alcaraz’s absence could impact Djokovic and other players.

“If he (Djokovic) doesn’t have to play Sinner to get to the finals — and by the way, he beat him in Australia; that’s one of the best matches he’s ever played in his life, to be honest, to be able to pull that off — you’d have to say, when it looked even bleaker that he’d win another one, the door’s opened up, obviously, more for him,” said the seven-time major singles champion.

“As well as [Alexander] Zverev, for example, and others that have been struggling. Felix [Auger-Aliassime] is the 4 seed; he hasn’t been lighting it up. Ben [Shelton]’s seeded five.

“[Daniil] Medvedev on clay… yeah, he had a pretty good run in Rome. [Alex] de Minaur hasn’t been winning matches… you talk about wide open, in a way, other than the obvious guy, Sinner. To me, ultimately, it’s Sinner against the field; I take Sinner, right now.

“It’s a horrible loss for tennis that Carlos isn’t playing. A total bummer. Obviously, it sucks, is the bottom line.

“But it does open the door for a bunch of other guys to make runs they weren’t ever going to potentially make.”

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Tennis icon John McEnroe has spoken to Tennis365 about Jannik Sinner’s incredible winning streak and bid to win a maiden French Open title.

World No 1 Sinner has won 29 consecutive matches, and he is the overwhelming favourite to win the 2026 French Open in the absence of his biggest rival, Carlos Alcaraz.

Since losing to Jakub Mensik at the Qatar Open in February, Sinner has collected titles in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome — dropping just three sets in the process.

The 24-year-old Italian is chasing his fifth Grand Slam crown, and victory at Roland Garros would see him complete the career Grand Slam (winning each of the four majors).

During a TNT Sports media event ahead of the French Open, Tennis365 asked McEnroe about the level Sinner has performed at during his outstanding run.

“Well, I don’t think that anyone is particularly shocked,” said the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion.

“He’s been playing at this level for a couple of years. Him and Carlos have won every major [between them]; nine in a row. So, this is not surprising.

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“Then you throw in the fact that Carlos hasn’t played in Madrid, and didn’t play in Rome; you get a better idea of, okay… yeah, he (Sinner) beat Alcaraz in Monte Carlo, but Carlos still has a winning record against him, and won the French Open [last year].

“So, it was just getting more exciting and not quite sure what to expect when the two of them played. It was something we, as tennis fans, all looked forward to. So, it’s definitely a bummer [that Alcaraz is injured], there’s no question about that.

“But at the same time, when you lose Carlos, then there’s more pressure on Jannik. Me, I’m picking him against the entire field, and probably so are a lot of other people.

“So, it’s gonna be more pressure. It seems like he’s handling it extremely well, you’ve gotta say. There’s been a couple of bumps, where physically he looked like he was toast; against [Eliot] Spizzirri in Australia and [Daniil] Medvedev recently.

“So, there’s been two or three times that it’s looked like it’s dicey, but he’s been able to get through it.

“That, for me, is the best chance of him losing.”

Sinner will face world No 171 Clement Tabur in his opening match at Roland Garros on Thursday.

READ NEXT: Jannik Sinner forehand could be an injury threat as respected coach says: ‘I wouldn’t teach it’

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Carlos Alcaraz has been forced out of several high profile tournaments due to a wrist injury he suffered at the Barcelona Open.

The star was forced to withdraw from the Madrid Open, the Italian Open, and Roland Garros and he has now confirmed that he will not play the grass court swing either.

In his absence, Jannik Sinner has dominated the ATP Tour landscape. The World No. 1 has won every tournament he has played since Alcaraz’s injury.

Despite their storied rivalry on the tennis court, Sinner and Alcaraz have a deep respect and the Italian has sent a message to the injured star.

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In an interview with French publication, Paris Match, Sinner called Alcaraz’s recent injury struggles “Unfortunate news.”

“Obviously, I know him very well, including on a personal level, and he’s going through a very difficult time. But at the same time, you know, it’s sport, and sport is very unpredictable,” he continued.

“Injuries come and go. It’s like success and victories. They also come and go, but he’s still very young. And I think the absolute priority is to get 100% healed and not rush things, because that could have consequences for the rest of his career. And that’s very dangerous.

“But at the same time, even if Carlos were to play, I know we could only meet in the final. There’s still a long way to go, and a lot can happen. This sport is very unpredictable, and I’m fully focused on my game. On what I have to do. And then we’ll see what happens.”

Despite their dominance at the big events, Sinner and Alcaraz have only played one ATP Tour match together in 2026.

That came at the Monte Carlo Masters, which saw Sinner defeat Alcaraz in straight sets to win the Masters event for the first time in his career.

That victory helped Sinner close the gap on Alcaraz as he picked up his seventh victory in 17 matches against the Spaniard. Sinner has won his last two matches against Alcaraz, in Monte Carlo and the ATP Finals.

Alcaraz’s last victory over Sinner came in the 2025 US Open final, which the Spaniard won in four sets to win the sixth Grand Slam title of his career.

The post Jannik Sinner has advice for Carlos Alcaraz about his wrist injury appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner is the overwhelming favourite to lift the Roland Garros title, following his dominant streak on the European clay court swing.

The Italian has won the Monte Carlo Masters, the Madrid Open, and the Italian Open back-to-back and many believe him winning Roland Garros this year is a formality.

Sinner will begin his campaign at the French Open against home favourite Clement Tabur, which will be a first time ever match up at the Grand Slam.

The World No. 1 is set to play his first match on Tuesday, 25th May, and he has been given a favourable schedule by the French Grand Slam.

Sinner is set to play the last match on Philippe-Chatrier, with play not set to start until 20:15 at the earliest. With temperatures set to hit 33 degrees in Paris during the day, the Italian will be delighted to have received that spot.

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The Italian has often struggled in intense heats and it has proved to be the World No. 1’s only real weakness in recent years. The star nearly dropped out of the Australian Open agianst Eliot Spizzirri earlier this year in similar temperatures.

Sinner was playing in the day session against Spizzirri and he could not handle the heat at all. Were it not for the heat rule coming into play in Melbourne, he would have likely exited the Grand Slam early.

The same happened at the Shanghai Masters last year, when he was forced to retire in his third round match against Tallon Griekspoor.

Sinner playing at Roland Garros as the sun goes down will give him an extra boost as he prepares to take on a home favourite at the Paris Grand Slam.

The French star is currently ranked World No. 184 in the rankings, but he has received a wild card for his home event. Sinner will be a formidable opponent for Tabur, but a rallying French crowd will surely get behind the Frenchman.

Sinner has been given a favourable draw at Roland Garros, with the Italian’s only real threat before the quarter-final stages coming from Luciano Darderi, who he could play in the fourth round.

Jannik Sinner’s projected route through the French Open

• First round: Clement Tabur
• Second round: Juan Manuel Cerundolo
• Third round: Martin Landaluce
• Fourth round: Arthur Rinderknech
• Quarter-finals: Ben Shelton
• Semi-finals: Daniil Medvedev
• Finals: Novak Djokovic

The World No. 1 has also been placed in the same section of the draw as Arthur Rinderknech, Matteo Berrettini, Corentin Moutet, and Martin Landaluce.

He will not have to play a top 10 player until the quarter-finals at the earliest, with a potential last eight meeting with Ben Shelton on the cards.

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Iga Swiatek kicked off her 2026 French Open campaign with an emphatic win over Emerson Jones, resulting in former world No 1 Mats Wilander declaring that she “looks impossible” to beat on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The four-time Roland Garros champion made a sluggish start to the clay-court swing as she lost her second match at the Stuttgart Open and then retired due to illness from her round of 32 match against Ann Li at the Madrid Open.

But she found some form at the Italian Open as she reached her first semi-final of the year before losing in three sets against Elina Svitolina, but there were certainly signs that the “old” Swiatek was back during her run in Rome.

And she looked in good nick again during her opening match against Emerson in Paris, beating the wildcard 6-1, 6-2 in exactly an hour.

During her on-court interview, Swiatek stated: “I’m just really happy to play on this court. First matches are always also for getting used to the conditions and everything. I’m really happy with the way I played today, tactically, and I felt the ball good. So it was a good first match for sure.”

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TNT Sports expert Mats Wilander was quick to declare that Swiatek has found her best form again and believes she made a tweak to her game.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner, who won three titles at Roland Garros, said: “She’s playing better. She’s playing a little bit further behind the baseline. When you watch her play on this court, the ball is bouncing so high.

“It looks impossible to beat Iga Swiatek on this court. I know it is possible, but I like she’s not being so aggressive. She was being super, super aggressive the last few years, and it hasn’t really worked. Right now, she’s back.”

Wilander’s colleague, former world No 5 Henri Leconte – who finished runner-up to Wilander in the 1988 French Open final, believes the work with Francisco Roig – who replaced Wim Fissette as Swiatek’s coach after the Miami Open in March – is evident.

“She’s back where she wants, the French Open, stay on the baseline and go for the shots,” the Frenchman said.

“Moving better. I think the work she did with Roig, that helps a lot. When she’s playing like that, she can be dangerous. You can think about her [as a title contender].”

But while many believe her previous experience puts her in good stead at this year’s French Open, Swiatek is not getting carried away after her first-round win.

“Nothing comes easy. Honestly I feel like with more titles it’s even a bit harder because everyone expects you to be ready always and play perfectly,” she said.

“You need to stay humble and not take anything for granted and work your way from the beginning of the tournament to play good.

“Especially after Rome where it was pretty cold and much more heavy, the court seems totally different here. You need to adjust for sure.”

*Mats Wilander and Herni Leconte will feature as part of TNT Sports’ Roland-Garros coverage*

*Every match of Roland-Garros is live across TNT Sports and HBO Max*.

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Novak Djokovic has sent a warm message to his rival Carlos Alcaraz, who is currently sidelined from the tour due to a wrist injury.

Alcaraz has not played since 14 April, when he sustained a right wrist injury in his opening round win at the Barcelona Open. The injury is reportedly an inflamed tendon sheath in Alcaraz’s wrist.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner pulled out before his second round match in Barcelona and said the injury was “more serious than we all expected.”

The world No 2 has since withdrew from the Masters events in Madrid and Rome, as well as the French Open and Wimbledon.

Alcaraz‘s absence arguably improves Djokovic‘s chances of winning a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title.

Speaking to Europsort ahead of the French Open, Djokovic spoke about his hopes of achieving this at Roland Garros.

“Yeah, it would mean a lot, of course. I mean, that’s the goal, that’s the aim. We’re working towards that, and let’s see what happens.

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“Yeah, to win 25 here would mean, of course, everything to me, and that’s the reason why I’m here, I’m competing. That’s the goal, and we’ll see what happens.”

The 39-year-old tennis legend then added: “Carlos, I hope you recover well. Tennis misses you. See you soon, amigo.”

In his pre-tournament press conference in Paris, Djokovic was asked how Alcaraz’s withdrawal impacts him.

“He’s a two-time defending champion of Roland Garros; of course, it’s a big blow for the tournament not to have him,” said the Serbian.

“Whether that changes my approach? I don’t think it does, significantly. I’ve been through challenging times with my body in the past six to eight months, so that was my primary focus, not really thinking about whether or not I have a better chance with Carlos [playing].

“If I’m healthy and able to maintain that level of freshness throughout the tournament, then I feel like I always have a very good chance. I’ve proven that.”

Djokovic defeated Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in four sets in his opening round match at Roland Garros on Sunday night.

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French player Arthur Gea was embroiled in a contentious incident on the opening day of the French Open, as he ran off court for around four minutes following a heated exchange with the umpire.

In roasting hot conditions in Paris, Gea was embroiled in a tense match against Karen Khachanov when he insisted he needed to leave the court to go to the toilet.

The umpire did not feel he was asking to take a break at an appropriate moment and encouraged him to play on, with his response leaving little to the imagination.

“I really can’t,” said an irate Gea. “I need to s***. I feel it’s going to go out. It’s not a joke.”

He went on to add: “I can’t, I can’t. Just explain the situation. I’m going to s*** on the f****** court, I’m sick. I have diarrhoea.”

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Khachanov didn’t look impressed by the timing of the break, but he went on to win the match 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-0, with Gea’s energy levels dropping dramatically in the final set.

There is an etiquette in tennis that toilet breaks need to be taken at a moment that does not disadvantage your opponent, but this appeared to be more of a medial issue than a tactical move from Gea.

“It’s not ideal from the Frenchman’s point of view, but Khachanov has to serve that next game, so I’m sure he was very frustrated he had the delay,” Henman told TNT Sports.

“Perhaps he didn’t deal with it brilliantly, because he lost the next three points to go down 0-40. But then really dug in.

“If your opponent is suffering with any kind of physical issue, you want to make them work, make them move. You don’t want to make unforced errors. He did manage to turn it around.”

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The final result ensured the incident that took place in the first set of the match was forgotten long before the end, with wildcard Gea clearly not fit enough to compete with a player who was ranked a lot higher than him.

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