The 2019 French Open will be held on the outdoor clay courts of Roland Garros in Paris between 26^th May and 9^th June. It will be the 123^rd time that the event has been held, with the defending men’s singles champion being Rafael Nadal of Spain, whilst Simona Halep of Romania will defend her crown in the women’s event. The 2^nd Grand Slam event of the year, the French Open is the only major that has retained the format of an advantage set in the final set – the other Grand Slams have now adopted a final set tie-break.

The final draw will take place on 23^rd May – three days before the event gets underway.

In terms of the men’s event, Nadal will start the favourite for the tournament yet again. The Spaniard is going for his 12^th crown in Paris, bit, having been dominant on clay for the past decade or so, he has found things more difficult this season. He was beaten in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid at the semi-final stage, events which he had previously come to regard as his own, with Fabio Fognini, Dominic Thiem, and Stefanos Tsitsipas all recording wins over him.

He thus entered the Rome Masters in the rare position of not having recorded a senior ATP title this year so far, but he put that right in Italy, beating his great rival Novak Djokovic in the final to suggest he is just getting back to his best form in time for Paris.

If not Nadal then the winner is likely to come from that small group to have beaten him this year, plus the World Number One Djokovic, who is after his fourth Grand Slam crown in a row, and who won the event in Madrid. Dominic Thiem, last year’s beaten finalist, has a good chance, having won the Masters’ titles in Indian Wells and Monte Carlo, whilst Stefanos Tsitsipas should not be ignored – he too has won two titles this year.

The Women’s Event is much more difficult to call. Simona Halep, the defending champion, will start favourite but she has hardly been in the most convincing of form, and lost to the unseeded Markéta Vondroušova in the second round in Rome.

World number one Naomi Osaka has won the last two Grand Slam events, but fired her coach after winning in Melbourne, and has since struggled with a combination of injury and loss of form. Clay also is not her preferred surface.

Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands could be a player to watch. The World Number Four has never won a Grand Slam event, but she is playing the best tennis of her career, having won the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy in February, and then followed it up with the title in Madrid, where she beat Halep in the final in straight sets.

Beyond those three, then twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova could also be considered as a contender. The beaten Melbourne finalist is back to her best form after recovering from the serious hand injury incurred following a home invasion attack at her house in the Czech Republic. She is not playing on her preferred surface but, in a very open field, a favourable draw and a good run could yet see her prevail.