The president of France’s tennis federation has stepped on the land mine of the tournament’s own creation, by implying that the French Open is not placing women in the featured night session on the biggest court at Roland Garros because the men’s tournament offers “better matches.”
“The schedule is one key point on the tournament,” Gilles Moretton said Monday at Roland Garros. “Sometimes we have to think about what could be better for spectators. That’s why sometimes we have to make some choices.”
Moretton said he would not speak for tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, who is ultimately responsible for the scheduling.
For several years, those choices have almost always resulted in a men’s singles match occupying the night slot on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the main stadium. They have almost always resulted in women playing in the first two slots of the four available each day, at the start of play when crowds are more sparse.
Since the French Open introduced the night session in 2021, organizers have reserved it almost entirely for men. In 2022 and 2023, there were nine men’s matches and one women’s. In 2024, there were 11 men’s matches for the men at night and zero women’s. So far this year, it has been three for men and none for women. Four-time…
