French Open 2025: Amelie Mauresmo responds to criticism about Roland Garros night sessions

The French Open night sessions – which were introduced in 2021 – feature just one singles match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

A women’s singles match, played over three sets, has not been put in this primetime slot since 2023 – meaning the past 19 night-time sessions have been men’s singles matches, which are played over five sets.

Only four matches have been from the women’s draw since they were brought in four years ago.

Questions are raised every year about whether the French Open should do more to promote the women’s game.

Mauresmo says women’s matches potentially going “really fast” is the justification behind the choices.

“There is nothing new under the sun compared to the previous editions,” she said.

“We have one single match per night session. It hasn’t changed. We won’t change everything again.

“Two sets can go really fast when you have three sets minimum – that’s the lens for me.

“It’s not the level the [women] reach right now. I’m not talking about this.”

Mauresmo also said the tournament does not want to have two matches in the night session, like the Australian Open and US Open, in fear of creating late finishes.

She pointed to the full crowd at Thursday night’s match between French favourite Gael Monfils and British number one Jack Draper – played in front of a full house until it finished at 23:45 local time – as a measure of the schedule’s success.

“If we have two matches in the night sessions, it doesn’t work in terms of how late the players are going to finish,” she said.

“But if we start earlier, the stands are going to be empty in most of the first match, so we keep this one match in the evening.

“It’s not ideal. We cannot check every box because we have many, many things to think when we are doing these choices.”