Coco Gauff Criticizes French Open Night Scheduling for Women’s Matches

The French Open has faced ongoing criticism for its scheduling of night matches, which exclusively feature men, sparking debate about gender equity in prime-time slots. Unlike the U.S. and Australian Opens, Roland Garros offers only one night match per session, all reserved for male players, a practice that has drawn ire from top women players including Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and Ons Jabeur. Gauff advocates for introducing earlier night matches for women, arguing that female players prefer not to play late night slots after men, and suggests starting matches around 7:00 p.m. to allow fair prime-time exposure. French Open organizers have also been criticized for sidelining top women players like Gauff to less prominent courts while prioritizing male players, fueling perceptions of systemic bias. Some female players see the lack of women's night matches as a reflection of broader gender disparities in sports coverage and fan engagement. The debate continues as the tournament maintains its current format despite calls for reform to provide equal visibility and scheduling opportunities to women.