While the French Open draws global attention from tennis fans, some players have their eyes on another major European sports event—the UEFA Champions League final. One of the teams competing is Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), whose stadium is just blocks away from Roland-Garros.
Among PSG supporters is Novak Djokovic, who hoped to watch their showdown against Italy’s Inter Milan on Saturday night in Munich. As one of tennis’s top stars, Djokovic made a polite request to tournament organizers: avoid scheduling his match during the final. That’s a common practice among top players, who often ask for preferred time slots based on personal or professional reasons.
“I’ll definitely watch it if I’m not playing the night session,” Djokovic said with a grin. “Just a little heads-up for the Roland-Garros schedule.”
However, the request didn’t pan out. When Saturday’s order of play was released, Djokovic’s third-round match against Filip Misolic was slated for the night session on Court Philippe-Chatrier, starting at 8:15 p.m. local time—just 45 minutes before kickoff of the soccer match.
Some players did manage to get their schedule preferences. Arthur Fils, the 14th seed and a PSG fan who grew up near Paris, was originally set for an afternoon match but ultimately had to withdraw from the tournament due to a stress fracture in his back.
Tournament director Amélie Mauresmo explained that accommodating players’ requests is a complex task. “We get a lot of requests every day,” she said. “There’s no set rule. We try to balance the needs of players, broadcasters, and spectators. It’s a real puzzle.”
Coco Gauff, currently ranked No. 2 in singles, said she rarely asks for specific match times, though she sometimes does when competing in both singles and doubles. She believes that top-ranked players tend to have more influence—and that’s fair. “If you’ve done well on tour and won tournaments, it makes sense you get a little more say,” Gauff noted.
Still, even elite players can be overlooked. Madison Keys, the 2017 U.S. Open finalist and 2024 Australian Open champion, shared her own experience. “You make the request, they nod, and then nothing happens,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s really about what the tournament and broadcasters want.”
Djokovic, despite his status, recognizes the limits. “Whatever the schedule is, I have to accept it,” he said earlier this season. “But I think I’ve earned the right to communicate with the organizers and share what I’d prefer—depending on the opponent and the day.”
This time, though, Djokovic will have to settle for updates on the soccer pitch while competing on the clay.
