2013/05/25

2013 French Open U.S. Television Schedule

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All times Eastern

Sunday, May 26
5-10 am- First round, ESPN2
10 am-3-30 pm- First round, Tennis Channel
Noon-3 pm- First round, NBC
Monday, May 27
5-10 am- First round, ESPN2
10 am-3-30 pm- First round, Tennis Channel
Noon-3 pm- First round, NBC
Tuesday, May 28
5-10 am- First round, ESPN2
10 am-3-30 pm- First round, Tennis Channel
Wednesday, May 29
5-10 am- Second round, ESPN2
10 am-3-30 pm- Second round, Tennis Channel
Thursday, May 30
5-10 am- Second round, ESPN2
10 am-3-30 pm- Second round, Tennis Channel
Friday, May 31
5-10 am- Third round, ESPN2
10 am-3-30 pm- Third round, Tennis Channel
Saturday, June 1
5 am-Noon- Third round, Tennis Channel
Noon-3 pm- Third round, NBC
Sunday, June 2
5 am-1 pm- Round of 16, Tennis Channel
1-4 pm- Round of 16, NBC
Monday, June 3
5-10 am- Round of 16, ESPN2
10 am-3-30 pm- Round of 16, Tennis Channel
Tuesday, June 4
8 am-1 pm- Quarterfinals, Tennis Channel
1-7 pm- Quarterfinals (live and same-day tape), ESPN2
Wednesday, June 5
8 am-1 pm- Quarterfinals, ESPN2
Thursday, June 6
9 am-2 pm- Women’s semifinals, ESPN2
11 am-2 pm- Women’s semifinals, NBC
Friday, June 7
7 am-11 am- Men’s Semifinal, Tennis Channel
11 am-2 pm- Men’s semifinal, NBC
Saturday, June 8
9 am-1 pm- Women’s final, NBC
Sunday, June 9
9 am-2 pm- Men’s final, NBC

Related articles:

ESPN Broadcast Schedule for the 2013 French Open

Tennis Channel Announces 2013 French Open Broadcast Schedule

NBC Sports French Open Schedule

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Djokovic and Nadal on the Same Side of Roland Garros Draw

Novak Djokovic

(May 24, 2013) No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic and No. 3 seed Rafael Nadal are on a collision course to meet in the semifinals of the French Open as both men are on the same side of the draw.  Last year Nadal defeated Djokovic in the final for his seventh Roland Garros crown. On Friday morning at the Museum of the French Tennis Federation in Paris, the draws for the second tennis major of the year were held.

Djokovic will face David Goffin in the opening round, second seed Roger Federer will play a qualifier while Nadal will face off against Daniel Brands.

As for the women, No. 1 Serena Williams  coming into Roland Garros on a 24-match winning streak, opens up against Anna Tatishvilli with two seed  and defending champion Maria Sharapova taking on Su-Wei Hsieh. No. 3 seed Victoria Azarenka, on Sharapova’s half of the draw begins her quest against Elena Vesninia.

Williams who won Roland Garros back in 2002, lost her first round match in Paris last year to No. 111 Virginie Razzano, the only time, the American has ever lost in the first round a of a “Grand Slam” event.

Possible Men’s quarterfinals:

No. 1 Djokovic vs No. 8 Janko Tipsarevic

No. 3 Rafael Nadal vs No. 7 Richard Gasquet,

No. 4 David Ferrer vs No. 5 Tomas Berdych,

No. 2 Roger Federer vs No. 6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Men’s Draw

1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) v David Goffin (Belgium)

Ivan Dodig (Croatia) v Guido Pella (Argentina)

Alex Kuznetsov (U.S.) v Lucas Pouille (France)

Alejandro Falla (Colombia) v 26-Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria)

22-Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukraine) v Dmitry Tursunov (Russia)

Bernard Tomic (Australia) v Victor Hanescu (Romania)

Simone Bolelli (Italy) v Lu Yen-Hsun (Taiwan)

Qualifier v 16-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany)

12-Tommy Haas (Germany) v Guillaume Ruffin (France)

Qualifier v Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain)

Andrey Kuznetsov (Russia) v Ryan Harrison (U.S.)

Carlos Berlocq (Argentina) v 19-John Isner (U.S.)

29-Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) v Pablo Andujar (Spain)

Federico Delbonis (Argentina) v Qualifier

Fernando Verdasco (Spain) v Marc Gicquel (France)

Nicolas Mahut (France) v 8-Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia)

3-Rafael Nadal (Spain) v Daniel Brands (Germany)

Martin Klizan (Slovakia) v Michael Russell (U.S.)

Qualifier v Lukas Rosol (Czech Republic)

Qualifier v 27-Fabio Fognini (Italy)

24-Benoit Paire (France) v Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus)

Lukasz Kubot (Poland) v Qualifier

Grega Zemlja (Slovenia) v Santiago Giraldo (Colombia)

Jesse Levine (Canada) v 13-Kei Nishikori (Japan)

9-Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) v Thiemo de Bakker (Netherlands)

Qualifier v Horacio Zeballos (Argentina)

Kenny de Schepper (France) v Robin Haase (Netherlands)

Albert Ramos (Spain) v 21-Jerzy Janowicz (Poland)

28-Florian Mayer (Germany) v Denis Istomin (Uzbekistan)

Florent Serra (France) v Nikolay Davydenko (Russia)

Qualifier v Qualifier

Sergiy Stakhovsky (Ukraine) v 7-Richard Gasquet (France)

5-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) v Gael Monfils (France)

Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) v Rogerio Dutra Silva (Brazil)

Igor Sijsling (Netherlands) v Juergen Melzer (Austria)

Jurgen Zopp (Estonia) v 32-Tommy Robredo (Spain)

20-Andrea Seppi (Italy) v Leonardo Mayer (Argentina)

Blaz Kavcic (Slovenia) v Qualifier

Martin Alund (Argentina) v Edouard Roger-Vasselin (France)

Qualifier v 11-Nicolas Almagro (Spain)

14-Milos Raonic (Canada) v Xavier Malisse (Belgium)

Qualifier v Michael Llodra (France)

Qualifier v Evgeny Donskoy (Russia)

Qualifier v 23-Kevin Anderson (South Africa)

31-Marcel Granollers (Spain) v Feliciano Lopez (Spain)

Joao Sousa (Portugal) v Go Soeda (Japan)

Qualifier v Albert Montanes (Spain)

Marinko Matosevic (Australia) v 4-David Ferrer (Spain)

6-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) v Aljaz Bedene (Slovenia)

Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) v Paul-Henri Mathieu (France)

Roberto Bautista Agut (Spain) v Gilles Muller (Luxembourg)

Benjamin Becker (Germany) v 25-Jeremy Chardy (France)

17-Juan Monaco (Argentina) v Daniel Gimeno-Traver (Spain)

Viktor Troicki (Serbia) v James Blake (U.S.)

Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) v Nick Kyrgios (Australia)

Philipp Petzschner (Germany) v 10-Marin Cilic (Croatia)

15-Gilles Simon (France) v Lleyton Hewitt (Australia)

Adrian Mannarino (France) v Pablo Cuevas (Uruguay)

Jan Hacek (Czech Republic) v Qualifier

Lukas Lacko (Slovakia) v 18-Sam Querrey (U.S.)

30-Julien Benneteau (France) v Ricardas Berankis (Lithuania)

Tobias Kamke (Germany) v Paolo Lorenzi (Italy)

Qualifier v Qualifier

Qualifier v 2-Roger Federer (Switzerland)

 

Possible Women’s quarterfinals:

No. 1 Serena Williams vs No. 8 Angelique Kerber

No. 2 Maria Sharapova vs No. 7 Petra Kvitova

No. 3 Victoria Azarenka vs No. 6 Li Na

No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska vs Sara Errani

Women’s Draw

1-Serena Williams (U.S.) v Anna Tatishvili (Georgia)

Qualifier v Caroline Garcia (France)

Monica Niculescu (Romania) v Johanna Larsson (Sweden)

Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) v 26-Sorana Cirstea (Romania)

19-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) v Andrea Hlavackova (Czech

Republic)

Petra Cetkovska (Czech Republic) v Olga Pushkova (Russia)

Qualifier v Qualifier

Stephanie Foretz-Gacon (France) v 15-Roberta Vinci (Italy)

10-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) v Laura Robson (Britain)

Qualifier v Bojana Jovanovski (Serbia)

Pauline Parmentier (France) v Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia)

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) v 22-Ekaterina Makarova (Russia)

29-Varvara Lepchenko (U.S.) v Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (Croatia)

Romina Oprandi (Switzerland) v Elina Svitolina (Ukraine)

Jana Cepelova (Slovakia) v Christina McHale (U.S.)

Mona Barthel (Germany) v 8-Angelique Kerber (Germany)

4-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) v Shahar Peer (Israel)

Mallory Burdette (U.S.) v Donna Vekic (Croatia)

Qualifier v Mandy Minella (Luxembourg)

Urszula Radwanska (Poland) v 30-Venus Williams (U.S.)

24-Julia Goerges (Germany) v Qualifier

Virginie Razzano (France) v Claire Feuerstein (France)

Chanelle Scheepers (South Africa) v Mathilde Johansson (France)

Petra Martic (Croatia) v 14-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia)

11-Nadia Petrova (Russia) v Monica Puig (Puerto Rico)

Madison Keys (U.S.) v Misaki Doi (Japan)

Irena Pavlovic (France) v Shelby Rogers (U.S.)

Simona Halep (Romania) v 20-Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain)

32-Sabine Lisicki (Germany) v Sofia Arvidsson (Sweden)

Maria-Teresa Torro Flores (Spain) v Qualifier

Ayumi Morita (Japan) v Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan)

Arantxa Rus (Netherlands) v 5-Sara Errani (Italy)

16-Li Na (China) v Annabel Medina-Garrigues (Spain)

Bethanie Mattek-Sands (U.S.) v Lourdes Dominguez Lino (Spain)

Tatjana Maria (Germany) v Qualifier

Coco Vandeweghe (U.S.) v 27-Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan)

23-Klara Zakopalova (Czech Republic) v Kaia Kanepi (Estonia)

Stefanie Voegele (Switzerland) v Heather Watson (Britain)

Ashleigh Barty (Australia) v Lucie Hradecka (Czech Republic)

Nina Bratchikova (Portugal) v 12-Maria Kirilenko (Russia)

13-Marion Bartoli (France) v Olga Govortsova (Belarus)

Kristyna Pliskova (Czech Republic) v Qualifier

Melinda Czink (Hungary) v Francesca Schiavone (Italy)

Flavia Pennetta (Italy) v 21-Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium)

31-Alize Cornet (France) v Maria Joao Koehler (Portugal)

Irina-Camelia Begu (Romania) v Silvia Soler-Espinosa (Spain)

Qualifier v Annika Beck (Germany)

Elena Vesnina (Russia) v 3-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)

7-Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) v Aravane Rezai (France)

Peng Shuai (China) v Camila Giorgi (Italy)

Qualifier v Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium)

Jamie Hampton (U.S) v 25-Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic)

18-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) v Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia)

Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) v Garbine Muguruza (Spain)

Kristina Mladenovic (France) v Lauren Davis (U.S.)

Kimiko Date-Krumm (Japan) v 9-Samantha Stosur (Australia)

16-Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) v Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine)

Marina Erakovic (New Zealand) v Elena Baltacha (Britain)

Qualifier v Alexandra Cadantu (Romania)

Karin Knapp (Italy) v 17-Sloane Stephens (U.S.)

28-Tamira Paszek (Austria) v Melanie Oudin (U.S.)

Zheng Jie (China) v Vesna Dolonc (Serbia)

Eugenie Bouchard (Canada) v Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria)

Hsieh Su-Wei (Taiwan) v 2-Maria Sharapova (Russia)

The tournament begins on Sunday.

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NBC Sports French Open Schedule

 

NBC SPORTS GROUP’S EXPANDED FRENCH OPEN COVERAGE BEGINS THIS SUNDAY ON NBC
27 Hours from 2013 French Open on NBC Culminates with Live Coverage of Women’s Final on Saturday, June 8 and Men’s Final on Sunday, June 9
This Marks NBC’s 31st Consecutive Year as the Broadcast Home of the French Open
NEW YORK – May 22, 2013 – In the first year of a new agreement with the French Tennis Federation that keeps the French Open on NBC through 2024, NBC will present 27 hours of 2013 French Open, the most-ever network coverage of this major. NBC’s coverage begins this Sunday at Noon ET, with live opening-round coverage, and culminates with the Women’s Final on June 8 and the Men’s Final on June 9. In all, NBC will broadcast 27 hours from Roland Garros, including coverage on the first Monday of play for the first time (Monday, May 27).
Defending champion Rafael Nadal has won seven French Open titles (2005-2008, 2010-2012). Last year, Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic to surpass Bjorn Borg for the most men’s French Open championships in the Open era.
Maria Sharapova will defend her Women’s singles title this year. Sharapova is the sixth different woman in six years to win the French Open singles title.
COMMENTATORS: Host Ted Robinson anchors NBC’s coverage, joined by analysts John McEnroe and Mary Carillo. McEnroe and Carillo teamed to win the mixed doubles title at the 1977 French Open. This is NBC’s 31st consecutive year televising the event.
FRENCH OPEN ON NBC: Following is the television schedule for NBC’s coverage of the 2012 French Open, which culminates with live coverage of the Women’s (June 8) and Men’s (June 9) Finals:
FRENCH OPEN ON NBC
Sunday, May 26
Noon – 3 p.m. ET
First Round (Live)
Monday, May 27
Noon – 3 p.m. (all time zones)
First Round (Live ET)
Saturday, June 1
Noon – 3 p.m. ET
Third Round (Live)
Sunday, June 2
1 p.m. – 4 p.m. ET
Fourth Round (Live)
Thursday, June 6
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. (all time zones)
Women’s Semifinals (Live ET)
Friday, June 7
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. (all time zones)
Men’s Semifinals (Live ET)
Saturday, June 8
9 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET
Women’s Final (live)
Sunday, June 9
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. ET
Men’s Final (Live)
NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA FRENCH OPEN COVERAGE
NBC Sports Live Extra — the NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will live stream NBC’s French Open coverage.
For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.
Coverage on NBC Sports Live Extra includes the Men’s and Women’s Finals, and live streaming coverage, across the country, of the second Women’s Semifinal on Thursday, June 6, and second Men’s Semifinals on Friday, June 7.
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Del Potro Leads Wednesday’s List of French Open Pullouts

Juan Martin Del Potro

(May 22, 2013) Argentine media and Reuters have reported that world No. 7 Juan Martin Del Potro has withdrawn from next week’s French Open, still suffering from a virus.

“I am sad to miss such an important tournament, one that you always dream of winning,” Del Potro was quoted on the Ultima Hora website (www.ultimahora.com).

Joining the Argentine on the sidelines will be Americans Mardy Fish and Brian Baker. No. 2. Andy Murray withdrew from the Paris event on Tuesday and will be replaced by a lucky loser.

Fish is still dealing with heart issues, while Baker is still recovering from knee surgery. Fish and Baker will be replaced by Joao Sousa of Portugal and Guido Pella of Argentina.

Withdrawals on the women’s side include – Chan Yung-jan, Alexandra Dulgheru and Lara Arruabarrena. Shahar Peer, Tatjana Maria and Nina Bratchikova will replace them.

The French Open begins this Sunday, May 26.

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Andy Murray Withdraws From French Open with Back Injury

Andy Murray in pain

(May 21, 2013) Andy Murray has withdrawn from the French Open due to a back injury. The world No. 2 from Scotland had to withdraw from his second round match at the Italian Open last week to Marcel Granollers due to a lower back injury.

“It’s a really tough decision and I love playing in Paris, but after seeking medical advice I am not fit to compete,” Murray said in a statement. “Now my complete focus is on getting back on the court as soon as possible.”

“Apologies to the organisers and thanks to everyone for the messages of support. Now my complete focus is on getting back on the court as soon as possible.”

This will be the first major he has missed since Wimbledon in 2007. This will be the first time since 1994 that Great Britain will not have a man in the main draw of Roland Garros.

Murray hopes to be ready to play London’s Queen’s Club tournament on June 10.

The French Open begins this Sunday, May 26.

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McEnroe: Serena Williams and Nadal Have to Beat Themselves to Lose at French Open

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(May 20, 2013) – John McEnroe agrees with the vast majority of tennis prognosticators that Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal are heavy favorites to win the upcoming French Open.

McEnroe spoke to media on Monday, ahead of next weeks’ French Open on a Tennis Channel conference call. McEnroe has served as an analyst for the network’s French Open coverage since 2007.

Asked about the chances of Serena being upset, McEnroe said:”I mean it’s been done before.  I’ve done it myself, but you sort of have to beat yourself.  The level she’s at when she’s playing well, I don’t think anybody can beat her.  Anybody, no matter great they are, everybody has bad days.
“On clay, it’s her worst surface.  The odds would increase.  The pressure is greater obviously at the French because she’s only won it once.  I would say at some stage in the event, it would be likely that she won’t have one of her best days.  Depending on her opponent that day, someone might have a shot at her.”

McEnroe is impressed with Nadal’s comeback after being off the tour for seven months.

“It seems like he’s barely lost anything, if at all,” McEnroe said.  “Right now he seems to be finally, he says, playing the best he’s been playing the whole year, which is sort of frightening for the other players.
“Unless something happens that’s unforeseen, it would be pretty hard‑pressed to make an argument for anyone other than Djokovic to beat him.  It would have to be one of those swing‑for‑the‑fences type players like Soderling was that one year, and the conditions would have to be extremely heavy so his ball wouldn’t have the type of jump it normally does.”

Coming into the French Open, both Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal are on win streaks. World No. 1 Williams has won 24 straight matches which include Miami, Charleson, Madrid and Rome titles. Nadal, whose ranking has moved up to No. 4 this week, has captured his last three tournaments – Barcelona, Madrid and Rome.

The French Open begins on May 26.

 

Related story:

Tennis Channel Announces 2013 French Open Broadcast Schedule

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Tennis Channel Announces 2013 French Open Broadcast Schedule

tennschannelclaylogotennispanoramaTennis Channel to Dedicate 200+ Hours to French Open

LOS ANGELES, May 20, 2013 – Tennis Channel, will begin its first day of 2013 French Open coverage with nine consecutive hours of matches followed by a another nine hours of interview-and-encore show French Open Tonight. This daily balance – long blocks of competition followed by an all-night review of the day’s play – will be the template for much of the network’s two-week telecast, set to get underway Sunday, May 26. With plans for close to 70 live match hours, more than 65 hours of encore replays, and 114 hours of French Open Tonight, Tennis Channel will devote more than 200 hours of seemingly round-the-clock coverage to the world’s most prestigious clay-court event this year.

 

In its seventh year at Roland Garros, Tennis Channel’s live coverage runs from the first day of play through the men’s semifinal round and includes encore replays of the men’s and women’s singles quarterfinals, semifinal and championship competitions. The network’s most common daily schedule will offer live matches from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ET. From 3:30 p.m.-7 p.m. it will showcase the day’s best action via encore match replays, regardless of whether the matches originally aired live on Tennis Channel or broadcast partners NBC or ESPN2 (a complete schedule follows, below).

 

French Open Tonight, hosted by Bill Macatee (@BMacatee), will run from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. and then again twice throughout the late night and early morning. Since 2008 the show’s stage has overlooked the scenic Musketeer Plaza in the heart of the Roland Garros tournament grounds, with crowd bustle and spectator applause an ever present audio backdrop. As he has done since Tennis Channel’s first French Open in 2007, Macatee will bring his engaging interviewing approach into tennis fans’ homes each evening, encapsulating the day’s best through conversations with the players, coaches, and industry representatives who will write the history of this year’s tournament. Thirty-seven-and-a-half first-run hours of French Open Tonight are planned for 2013.

 

From 4 a.m.-5 a.m., Tennis Channel will run daily highlights provided by the event’s governing French Tennis Federation, before ESPN2 initiates a new day of match coverage at 5 a.m. Between Tennis Channel and ESPN2, viewers will have virtually non-stop, 24-hour coverage of the French Open. Since 2007, Tennis Channel has produced all telecasts for both channels, with each network cross-promoting the other’s telecast.

 

Broadband and Digital Coverage

Tennis Channel’s Web site, www.tennischannel.com, has offered free match streaming live and on demand since its first year of French Open coverage in 2007. Up to five simultaneous courts will be accessible to visitors from 5 a.m. ET through the end of the day’s play, with more than 300 hours overall. New for 2013, the network is launching a free mobile app – Tennis Channel Everywhere – that is available to all users of Apple or Android digital platforms. In addition to French Open matches, the app will include daily updates from Tennis Channel’s online video page with highlights, Court Report news and popular player Bag Check clips.

 

Tennis Channel’s Live 2013 French Open Match Schedule

(Men’s/Women’s Singles Unless Otherwise Specified)

 

Date Time (ET) Event

Sunday, May 26 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. First-Round Action

Monday, May 27 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. First-Round Action

Tuesday, May 28 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. First-Round Action

Wednesday, May 29 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Second-Round Action

Thursday, May 30 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Second-Round Action

Friday, May 31 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Third-Round Action

Saturday, June 1 5 a.m.-Noon Third-Round Action

Sunday, June 2 5 a.m.-1 p.m. Round-of-16 Action

Monday, June 3 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Round-of-16 Action

Tuesday, June 4 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Quarterfinals

Friday, June 7 7 a.m.-11 a.m. Men’s Semifinal

 

Tennis Channel’s encore coverage will include same-day replays of singles quarterfinals and semifinals, and the men’s and women’s singles championship matches after the tournament concludes (ET):

 

Wednesday, June 5 – 1 p.m.-7 p.m.: men’s and women’s singles quarterfinals

Thursday, June 6 – 2 p.m.-7 p.m.: women’s singles semifinals

Friday, June 7 – 5 p.m.-midnight: men’s semifinals

TBD: men’s and women’s finals

 

On Tuesday, June 11, the network will air the women’s doubles championship from 6 a.m.-8 a.m. ET and men’s doubles championship from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. ET.

 

Tennis Channel’s French Open Tonight Schedule

 

Viewers who miss Tennis Channel’s live or encore match coverage during this year’s tournament can tune into French Open Tonight Sunday, May 26-Thursday, June 6. Typically the show airs from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. (all times ET), followed by immediate repeats from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. and 1 a.m.-4 a.m. On Saturday, June 1, the show originally airs from 3 p.m.-6 p.m., followed by encores from 6 p.m.-9 p.m., 9 p.m.-midnight and 12 a.m.-3 a.m. The schedule on Sunday, June 2, sees a first run from 4 p.m.-7 p.m., then 7 p.m.-10 p.m., 10 p.m.-1 a.m. and 1 a.m.-4 a.m. Thursday, June 6, the show will air from 7 p.m.-11:30 p.m. and then 11:30 p.m.-4 a.m.

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ESPN Broadcast Schedule for the 2013 French Open

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ESPN at the French Open: Live Morning Matches Start Sunday, May 26

50+ Hours on ESPN2, ESPN3 with 330 Hours; Most View Nadal (despite ranking), S.Williams the Favorites

 

(May 20, 2013) Live morning matches on ESPN2 and day-long coverage via ESPN3 will bring French Open action to fans starting Sunday, May 26. ESPN2’s schedule of more than 50 hours – starting live at 5 a.m. ET most days – continues weekdays through Thursday, June 6, culminating with the women’s semifinals. ESPN3 will provide up to seven screens of action on the days ESPN2 is on the air, totaling 330 hours.

 

In both the women’s and men’s draws, contenders hope to break the stranglehold the top players have had on recent major championships.

  • · On the men’s side, injuries – both current and Nadal’s in 2012 – leave the seeding up in the air. Novak Djokovic is ranked No. 1 and won the year’s first major in Australia while No. 2 Andy Murray, who finally won his first Grand Slam title at the 2012 US Open is likely to withdraw because of injury. No. 3 Roger Federer – who has reached the quarterfinals of 35 consecutive majors, winning a record 17 – heads to Roland Garros without a title in the current year for the first time since 2000. Defending champ Rafael Nadal is ranked No. 4, thanks to his long layoff the latter half of 2012, but leads the 2013 points race with six victories (five on clay) and few would be surprised if he were to bring home his eighth trophy from Paris. The contenders after Nadal – David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych, Juan Martin Del Potro (who may be forced to withdraw) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga – have have all shown the ability to defeat a member of the Big Four but a major title would be a huge break through.
  • · At 31, Serena Williams’ recent play certainly befits the top-ranked player in the world: 36-2 this year, riding career-best win streak of 24 matches and five titles. Winner of two of the last three majors and 15 overall, she is looking to avenge her stunning first-round defeat a year ago in Paris and win back the crown she has won just once (2002). No. 2 Maria Sharapova is the defending champion and 30-4 in 2013 but three of those losses came to Williams in finals. No. 3 Victoria Azarenka is 22-2 year to date with two titles including her second straight Australian Open. She fell to Williams 6-1, 6-3 Sunday on clay in the Rome final. At No. 4 and No. 5, Agnieszka Radwanska and Sara Errani are at a career-best ranking but each has only reached one Grand Slam final (Wimbledon, 2012; French Open, 2012, respectively) while No. 6 Li Na took the trophy in Paris in 2011 and reached the final of this year’s Australian Open. American Sloane Stephens, 20 – who emerged as a threat with an upset of Williams in Australia – is ranked No. 17 while Varvara Lepchenko of Allentown, Pa., is No. 29 but reached the fourth round at Roland Garros 12 months ago.

 

TV Coverage

After the opening day, ESPN2’s schedule will continue with an all-live telecast starting at 5 a.m. each day through Friday, May 31, and again on Monday, June 3. The network will air live quarterfinal action Tuesday, June 4, at 1 p.m. and Wednesday, June 5, at 8 a.m. ESPN2 will air the women’s semifinals live Thursday, June 6, at 9 a.m. All the action on ESPN2 is also available through WatchESPN online at WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app.

 

Chris Fowler and Chris McKendry will again share host duties on ESPN2, with Fowler also calling matches. They will be joined by Evert, along with returnees Darren Cahill, Cliff Drysdale, Mary Joe Fernandez, Brad Gilbert, Patrick McEnroe and Pam Shriver.

 

ESPN networks present all four Grand Slam events and have televised the French Open 1986 – 1993 and since 2002. ESPN3 delivers an unmatched multi-screen presentation of the sport’s four majors, all ATP 1000 and 500 tournaments, WTA Premier Events and season-ending championships for both tours.

 

For the seventh consecutive year, ESPN2 is working with Tennis Channel to bring viewers an almost around-the-clock tournament experience, with each channel cross-promoting the other’s schedule. Tennis Channel will produce all coverage for both channels, with each making use of its own on-air team.

 

ESPN3

ESPN3’s French Open schedule totals 330 hours with a multi-screen offering of up to seven courts and ESPN2’s coverage and is available on the days the network is televising. ESPN3 will begin each day early in the morning with the first ball in the air and continue to the last shot of the day. Matches will also be available after they take place via replay. Additionally, ESPNPlay in Latin America and the Caribbean will provide customers with extensive live coverage with multiple windows totaling over 500 hours in both English and Spanish on broadband platforms in addition to televised coverage throughout the regions.

 

Other ESPN Platforms

Fans will have a variety of ways to follow the French Open with live action and updates on an array of ESPN platforms wherever they are and regardless of whether there is live television offered.

 

ESPN.com will provide comprehensive coverage before, during and after the French Open, highlighted by CourtCast, which will feature all the live action from ESPN3. As always, it will also include real-time scoring from all courts, plus continuous live polling with results revealed immediately in ESPN2’s telecasts. CourtCast will also provide an augmented social media feed (Twitter and Facebook) from the players, analysts and writers. And, of course, ESPN.com will have the latest news, analysis, schedules and more. Fans can watch Digital Serve daily with ESPN2 commentators discussing the latest action and previewing key matches. Other highlights include:

  • · The Latest Dirt – a daily notebook roundup of all the day’s action;
  • · Center Court – a tennis video show featured each week on all the major news from Roland Garros;
  • · espnW.com – Comprehensive daily coverage of the women’s draw by senior writer Jim Caple;
  • · What We Learned – ESPN.com senior writer Greg Garber and others will highlight the day’s news and notes with quick video snippets on the overlooked storylines.

 

The WatchESPN App – for fans who receive ESPN’s linear networks as part of their video subscription via Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Verizon FiOS TV, Comcast Xfinity TV, Midcontinent Communications, Cablevision, Cox, Charter or AT&T U-verse – will provide access to for ESPN2’s live coverage online at WatchESPN.com and through the WatchESPN app on smartphones and tablets, in addition to ESPN3’s multi-screen offering.

 

ESPN Mobile TV will have 46 hours of live coverage, simulcasting ESPN2’s live programming, highlighted by the women’s semifinals Thursday, June 7.

 

ESPN Interactive TV, exclusive to DIRECTV, will present the French Open showing ESPN2 or Tennis Channel’s live coverage along with five other courts available with commentary. Other features include interactive data, the tournament draw, up-to-date scores, and daily order of play.

 

ESPN International will present over 100 hours of live French Open coverage to more than 50 countries in Spanish-speaking Latin America and the Caribbean on its pan-regional and regional networks. Matches will be chosen based on local interest, and commentary will be offered in English and Spanish, with expert analysis provided by two Spanish-speaking announce teams: Luis Alvarez & Javier Frana and Eduardo Varela & Jose Luis Clerc In addition to both SD and HD television telecasts, ESPN International’s broadband service, ESPN Play, will stream over 500 hours of live French Open matches, including the men’s and women’s finals.

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Monfils Leads List of French Open Wild Cards

 

Gael Monfils

Gael Monfils

(May 15, 2013) Former French Open semifinalist Frenchman Gael Monfils leads the list of wild cards for the French Open, the tournament announced on Wednesday.

Other wild cards, in the men’s singles main draw: Marc Gicquel (FRA), Alex Kuznetsov (USA), Nicolas Mahut (FRA), Adrian Mannarino (FRA), John Millman (AUS), Lucas Pouille (FRA) and Florent Serra (FRA).

In the women’s main draw: Ashleigh Barty (AUS), Claire Feuerstein (FRA), Stéphanie Foretz-Gacon (FRA), Caroline Garcia (FRA), Irena Pavlovic (FRA), Virginie Razzano (FRA), Aravane Rezaï (FRA) and Shelby Rogers (USA).

Wild cards for the men’s qualifying tournament were given to Mathias Bourgue, Jonathan Eysseric, Quentin Halys, Calvin Hémery, Jules Marie, Axel Michon, Johan-Sébastien Tatlot and Maxime Teixeira (all FRA) and to Australia’s Nick Kyrgios.

France’s Manon Arcangioli, Séverine Beltrame, Estelle Cascino, Océane Dodin, Myrtille Georges, Amandine Hesse, Alizé Lim and Irina Ramialison were all given wild cards for the women’s qualifying tournament.

The French Open begins on March 26, with the qualifying tournament set to begin on March 21.

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Taylor Townsend to Compete in French Open Junior Championships

Taylor Townsend

Taylor Townsend

From the USTA – WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., May 13, 2013 – Taylor Townsend, the No. 1-ranked junior in the world at the end of 2012, will play in her first junior event of 2013 at the Roland Garros French Open Junior Championships June 2-8 in Paris.

 

Townsend finished last year as the No. 1-ranked junior in the world, becoming the first American girl in 30 years to hold that distinction. She remains No. 10 in the ITF world junior rankings despite thus far having played only professional tournaments in 2013. In her first WTA-level main draw match, Townsend beat then-No. 57 Lucie Hradecka in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., in March.

 

Townsend, who in 2012 won the Australian Open junior singles title and junior doubles titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open, headlines an American girls’ contingent accepted to play in the French Open Junior Championship that includes Victoria Duval (17, Delray Beach, Fla.), currently No. 285 in the WTA rankings. In 2012, Duval won the USTA Girls’ 18s national title to earn a wild card into the US Open main draw, where she played Kim Clijsters in the first round.

 

Christina Makarova (16, San Diego), currently No. 11 in the ITF world junior rankings, No. 29 Sachia Vickery (18, Hollywood, Fla.) and No. 39 Jamie Loeb (18, Ossining, N.Y.) are also in the girls’ main draw, while No. 56 Louisa Chirico (16, Harrison, N.Y.), was accepted for qualifying.

 

Townsend, Duval and Vickery each train at the USTA Training Center – Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., while Chirico trains at the USTA Training Center – East in Flushing, N.Y.

 

Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (18, Charlotte, N.C.), currently the top-ranked American junior boy at No. 16 in the world, leads the Americans accepted to play the boys’ main draw, followed by No. 19 Stefan Kozlov (15, Pembroke Pines, Fla.), No. 23 Noah Rubin (17, Rockville Centre, N.Y.), No. 38 Luca Corinteli (17, Alexandria, Va.) and No. 40 Spencer Papa (17, Edmond, Okla.). No. 49 Martin Redlicki (17, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) was accepted for qualifying.

 

Kozlov is the youngest player in the Top 20 of the world junior rankings and is the second youngest player in the French Open boys’ main draw. Rubin, who has been ranked as high as No. 6 in the world junior rankings, reached the quarterfinals of last year’s French Open Junior Championship, while Papa advanced to the third round last year.

 

Currently, Kozlov and Papa train at the USTA Training Center – Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla. Kwiatkowski and Redlicki previously trained there, Kwiatkowski for three years, and Corinteli trains at the Junior tennis Champions Center in College Park, Md., a USTA Certified Regional Training Center.

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