Since the inception of the night session in the French Open in 2021, every year there’s been discussion around one topic: the lack of women’s matches played in the “primetime” slot. This year has been no exception, with stars like Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur giving mixed opinions on the matter.
Unlike the other Grand Slam tournaments, such as the Australian Open and the US Open, which feature two matches in the night session, Roland Garros only has one. That match is broadcast as the marquee event on Amazon Prime in France, giving it extra visibility.
Since the French Open introduced the night session, the numbers have told a clear story. In 2022 and 2023, there were nine men’s matches and just one women’s match in the slot. This year, the count is even more stark: eleven men’s matches, zero for women. However, do women really want to play at night in Paris? The answer is mixed.
Coco Gauff says the timing isn’t ideal: “I mean, prove me wrong, but I don’t think any girl wants to play after the 8:15 match.” She suggested earlier evening options could work better, as it happens in the other events. Four-time champion Iga Swiatek has also voiced a preference for daytime matches, as she has more time to rest. But, some others see the lack of women’s matches at night as a clear sexist message.
Ons Jabeur and Danielle Collins weigh in the controversy
After losing her first round match on Tuesday, Ons Jabeur, a two-time Wimbledon finalist, didn’t mince words: “It’s a bit ironic. They don’t show women’s sport, they don’t show women’s tennis, and then they ask the question, ‘Yeah, but mostly they watch men.’ Of course they watch men more because you show men more.”
American Danielle Collins admitted she doesn’t pay much attention to the discourse, but said that she believes women can “attract” crowds. “I do think there’s a lot of benefits to having the women on during the night matches. We attract a lot of fans. A lot of crowd. We create a lot of discussion around the game overall,” she said.
“I think there is certainly value in having us on the night schedule as well. It’s probably a little out of the ordinary compared to some of the other events. That’s all I can really say,” Collins added.
Organizers say they have to put ‘the better match’
The truth is that the organizers’ words don’t help in the matter. Gilles Moretton, the president of France’s tennis federation, said, via the Athletic, “Sometimes we need to put, I mean, for the night session, we need to put the better match.” However, according to the outlet, he didn’t answer to clarify if that is a potentially harmful message for female athletes.
Amélie Mauresmo, a former women’s World No. 1 and tournament director, has argued that the shorter format of women’s matches wouldn’t make fans feel like they’re getting enough value for their ticket.
While this debate sparks every year, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to change anytime soon.