Paris is a city filled with love, but for the next two weeks, Paris will be the place of heartbreak for some of the best tennis players in the world.
The French Open is underway and only the crème de la crème will qualify to compete in this year's major. Held at Roland Garros, a massive tennis complex that spans over 34 acres, pro players will take a shot at the title on a terracotta-colored clay.
There are 128 ATP pros in the main draw. Likewise, 128 players from the WTA tour will hope the ball shows them some amour on the gritty surface.
In reality, half of the athletes will be eliminated during the first few days of the tournament. The rest will take it one match at a time using an avant-garde approach as they head towards the round of 16, then onto the quarters, semis, and into the ever-elusive finals.
Seeded No. 1, and ranked at No. 1 in the world, is 20 years old Carlos Alcaraz. The young Spaniard will be cheered on by the crowd as he plays atop his favorite surface. He could go up against some previous RG winners including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Stan Wawrinka.
Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Dominic Thiem are among the recent RG runner-ups. They too will be looking for a rendezvous against Carlos, who will be equipped with a Babolat Pure Aero. Carlos will be wearing a zesty outfit by Nike and a matching pair of Nike Zoom Vapor Pro 2 Clay Men's tennis shoes.
Hot off his title victory in Rome at the Italian Open, Daniil Medvedev is playing some of the best tennis of his life. The 27-year-old is currently ranked No. 2. He'll be playing with a Technifibre TFlight and wearing a stylish Lacoste outfit that matches his brightly colored clay-court tennis shoes, also by Lacoste.
Daniil has won seven titles since becoming a father. His wife, Daria, gave birth to the couple's first child on October 14, 2022. It's a reminder that while love means nothing in tennis, it's absolutely priceless in life.
Another couple joining the ranks of parenthood is Gaël Monfils and his wife Elina Svitolina. Both tennis pros will be competing in this year's French Open. Gaël will return to the courts in front of his hometown fans playing with a Wilson racquet. He will look dapper in clay-court tennis shoes and apparel by Asics.
Gaël is one of seven male players in the main draw who has had his rankings protected while he was nursing a foot injury for the past 3-months.
This will be Elina's second tournament appearance since motherhood. She'll be playing with a Wilson Blade, strung with Luxilon ALU Power. The three-time RG quarter-finalist will be wearing a darling ensemble by Nike.
Other big names on the women's side of the draw include Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, American superstar Jessica Pegula, and French phenomenon Caroline Garcia.
Caroline endorses Yonex and will be using the new VCore. Currently ranked No. 5 in the world, she's ready to add another title to her existing 11.
With a total prize pool of $53 million (US), every pro player will lay their emotions out on the line and play each game, set, and match with nothing but heart. After all, an advancement could mean the difference between a salad and a soufflé!
Cheer on these magnificent athletes and find your favorite pros player's gear, shoes, and apparel at Tennis-Point.com.