Aryna Sabalenka’s fourth-round match against Naomi Osaka on Monday will be the first women’s match to take place in the French Open’s night-time slot since 2023.
Each of the previous 32 primetime sessions – scheduled to showcase the sport to the largest possible audience in France, Europe and the US – had been allocated to men’s matches.
Since the one-match evening sessions were introduced in 2021, only four of the first 60 slots on Court Philippe Chatrier had contained a women’s match. Sabalenka v Osaka will be the fifth.
Belarusian top seed Sabalenka is chasing her first title at Roland Garros as she looks to add to her tally of four Grand Slam titles, while Japanese 16th seed Osaka is also a four-time major winner.
On Saturday, Osaka said she did not “even associate” the French Open with night matches when she was asked about the topic.
The 28-year-old added she did not know if her match would be under consideration for the night session, but added she was “pretty easy going” about the time of the day she plays and felt the evening slot was reserved for “popcorn matches”.
Last year, American world number five Jessica Pegula said she felt like she was “hitting her head against the wall” over the subject, while two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur questioned whether the people making the decision “have daughters”.
Since 2023, questions have been raised about whether the French Open should do more to showcase the women’s game.
The lack of action prompted recently appointed WTA chief executive Valerie Camillo to seek answers from French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo – a former women’s world number one – when they met at Roland Garros this week.
In what the WTA describes as an open and productive conversation, Camillo underlined her belief that women’s players have delivered some of the “most exciting and dynamic competition in global sport” over recent months and years.
Mauresmo has consistently argued that the danger of women’s matches going “really fast” is the justification behind the choices.
Tickets range from €60 to €280 (£50 to £240).
Mauresmo has insisted the night sessions will not be extended to two matches – like the Australian Open and US Open – in fear of creating late finishes.
