French Open qualifying began May 18

Roland-Garros opened its qualifying tournament on May 18 in Paris, but the first day did not run cleanly. Rain interrupted play across the outer courts and delayed multiple matches, according to Yahoo Sports and the tournament’s official schedule pages. The disruption landed at the start of the event’s “Opening Week,” the stretch before the main draw begins. ### Which part of the tournament started on May 18? Qualifying began on Monday, May 18, not the 128-player singles main draw. Roland-Garros’ official schedule lists the tournament running from May 18 to June 7, with the opening days reserved for qualifying and related Opening Week events before the main draw starts on Sunday, May 24. (sports.yahoo.com) Opening Week is a distinct part of the French Open calendar. Roland-Garros said the week includes qualifying, media activities, practice sessions and charity-day programming before the main-draw competition moves fully into focus. ### How much did rain affect the first day? Yahoo Sports reported on May 18 that several qualifying matches were interrupted or delayed by rain. (rolandgarros.com) The outlet listed affected matches including Sinja Kraus against Celine Naef, Ekaterine Gorgodze against Tamara Zidansek, Elizara Yaneva against Irina-Camelia Begu, Maja Chwalinska against Alice Rame, and Dan Evans against Daniel Jada. (rolandgarros.com) A separate Yahoo Sports report published May 19 said weather problems continued into day two, with organizers postponing most play until 10:30 a.m. because courts were not ready after overnight rain. Court Suzanne-Lenglen was the exception cited in that report. ### When is the main draw, and when do fans get the bracket? Sunday, May 24 is the start date for main-draw singles play. (sports.yahoo.com) Olympics’ event page for Roland-Garros 2026 and the official Roland-Garros schedule both place the main draw in the May 24-June 7 window. Thursday, May 21 is the date of the singles draw ceremony. Roland-Garros said in its Opening Week page that the singles draws will be made on Thursday, and Olympics’ preview says the ceremony is scheduled for 14:00 CEST for both the men’s and women’s singles fields. (sports.yahoo.com) ### Who are the headline names around this year’s field? Coco Gauff arrives as the defending women’s singles champion. (olympics.com) Olympics’ Roland-Garros preview identifies Gauff among the leading names for the tournament, and Olympics’ 2025 archive shows she won last year’s French Open title. Carlos Alcaraz will not be in the field. Yahoo Sports reported that Alcaraz withdrew from the 2026 French Open because of injury, and Olympics’ event coverage also lists him as having pulled out. (rolandgarros.com) Jannik Sinner enters Paris after winning the Italian Open in Rome on May 17. That leaves the men’s draw without Alcaraz but with the world No. 1 carrying recent clay-court form into the year’s second Grand Slam, according to Roland-Garros and Olympics coverage. (olympics.com) ### What happens next over the next few days? Thursday, May 21 is the next key date because the singles draw will set the paths for the seeded players and qualifiers still trying to reach the field. (sports.yahoo.com) Roland-Garros said media day follows on Friday, May 22, before charity-day events on Saturday, May 23. Sunday, May 24 is when the tournament shifts fully into the main draw. (olympics.com) By then, qualifying will be complete, the bracket will be set, and the field will know where Gauff, Sinner and the rest of the contenders open their campaigns in Paris. (rolandgarros.com 1) (rolandgarros.com 2)