The total prize money for this year's tournament is 53.5 million euros (about 79.1 billion won), and the men's and women's singles prize money is 2.4 million euros, about 3.55 billion won in Korean money.

The French Open is the only major among the four majors to be held on clay.

The biggest concern of this year's tournament is Rafael Nadal (Spain).

Nadal is the absolute powerhouse of Roland Garros, who has won the men's singles as many as 14 times between 2005 and 2022 in 18 years.

The French Open's overall record is 112 wins and 3 losses, with a whopping 97% winning rate.

Only two players have defeated Nadal at the French Open: Robin Soderling (retired, Sweden) in the round of 16 in 2009, and Novak Djokovic (ranked first, Serbia) in the quarterfinals in 2015 and the semifinals in 2021.

In 2016, Nadal withdrew due to injury ahead of the third round match.

Nadal, born in 1986, is set to retire at the end of this season, so this year is likely to be the last French Open.

It is Nadal's first appearance at the French Open in two years since his victory in 2022.

In 2023, he missed the French Open due to an injury after being eliminated in the second round of the Australian Open in January.

Nadal also failed to play at this year's Australian Open, making his first appearance at a major tournament in about a year and four months since last year's Australian Open.

Nadal, who made his comeback through the Brisbane International on the ATP Tour in Australia in January this year, resumed his participation in the tournament in April after a three-month break due to a leg muscle injury.

Since then, he has participated in three clay court competitions, but the round of 16 at the Madrid Masters was the best performance.

Nadal, whose current world ranking has fallen to 276, is unlikely to win his last French Open.

Djokovic, Jannik Sinner of Italy and Carlos Alcaras of Spain, who are currently ranked first to third in the world, are considered candidates for this year's men's singles championship.

Djokovic won the tournament last year in Nadal's absence, and Sinner is the champion of the Australian Open, the first major tournament this year.

Alcaras will collect trophies for the French Open this year, following the U.S. Open in 2022 and Wimbledon in 2023.

However, Sinner was eliminated in the second round of the tournament last year and is not in good condition, as he recently missed the Rome Masters in Italy due to a back injury.

Alcaras has also been suffering from a right arm injury recently.

In the women's singles, world No. 1 Iga Siviontech of Poland is expected to be strong.

Civiontech has reached the top of the French Open three times in the last four years between 2020 and 2023, with the exception of 2021.

Born in 2001, Civiontech was 19 when he first won the French Open in 2020.

Aryna Sabalenka (2nd, Belarus), Coco Goff (3rd, US), and Elena Rybakina (4th, Kazakhstan) are expected to serve as checkers for Civiontech.

Jessica Pegula (5th, U.S.), whose mother is Korean, is aiming for her first major title in her life.

If Civiontech wins again this year, it will achieve three consecutive women's singles titles for the first time in 17 years since Justine Enang (Belgium) in 2007.

As a Korean player, Kwon Soon-woo (491st) will compete in the men's singles finals using his protective ranking due to the injury gap.

Hong Seong-chan (191st, Sejong City Hall) competed in the men's singles preliminary round, but lost 1-2 (7-6<9-7> 2-61-6) to Enzo Cuaco (210th, France) in the first round.

The men's and women's singles finals will be decided on the night of the 23rd in Korean time, and tvN Sports will broadcast major matches.

In Stade Roland Garros, where the French Open will be held, tennis matches at the Paris Olympics in July will also be held after this year's event.

Based on the world ranking announced after this year's French Open, the top 56 players will qualify for the singles at this year's Paris Olympics.

However, since only up to four men's and women's singles can participate in one country, the cut line will be lower than 56th place.

It is the first time in 12 years that a major tennis tournament and an Olympics are held in the same place in succession since the 2012 Wimbledon and London Olympics.

Roger Federer (Switzerland) and Serena Williams (USA) won the 2012 Wimbledon men's and women's singles, while Andy Murray (Britain) and Williams won the singles gold medal at the London Olympics.

BY: 스포츠토토