Americans in Paris: 2022 French Open preview
Bonjour, Paris: Roland Garros is nearly here. The draw for the French Open was released on Thursday, and after qualifying officially wrapped on Friday, the U.S. is well-represented at the year's second Grand Slam tournament. Thirty-one Americans—16 women and 15 men—are set to compete in the singles main draws, a figure that leads all nations in total players. The tournament begins on Sunday.
Seven American men and five women are seeded in Paris, also the most of any country. Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins checks in as the highest of the group at No. 9, and will look to build on two previous strong showings on the terre battue: In 2020, she reached the quarterfinals, and last year, it took Serena Williams to stop her in the third round.
Collins is joined in the seeds by Madrid finalist Jessica Pegula (No. 11), Coco Gauff (No. 18), Madison Keys (No. 22) and Amanda Anisimova (No. 27) in the seeds, and there are 11 other unseeded Americans in the women’s draw. Hailey Baptiste joined 10 who made it in directly or via a wild card after successfully qualifying.
This marks the eighth year in a row 16 or more Americans have featured in the women's main draw at Roland Garros.
First Rounds for American Women at the 2022 French Open
(9) Danielle Collins vs. (LL) Viktoriya Tomova (BUL)
(11) Jessica Pegula vs. Wang Qiang (CHN)
(18) Coco Gauff vs. (Q) Rebecca Marino (CAN)
(22) Madison Keys vs. Anna Kalinskaya
(27) Amanda Anisimova vs. Naomi Osaka (JPN)
Alison Riske vs. Dayana Yastremska (UKR)
Claire Liu vs. (24) Tamara Zidansek (SLO)
Taylor Townsend vs. Caroline Garcia (FRA)
(WC) Katie Volynets vs. Viktorija Golubic (SUI)
Shelby Rogers vs. Tereza Martincova (CZE)
Madison Brengle vs. (LL) Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU)
Lauren Davis vs. Marie Bouzkova (CZE)
Ann Li vs. Alison van Uytvanck (BEL)
Bernarda Pera vs. (23) Jil Teichmann (SUI)
Sloane Stephens vs. (Q) Jule Niemeier (GER)
(Q) Hailey Baptiste vs. Anhelina Kalinina (UKR)
Though she’s the lowest seed of the group, Anisimova has bonafide credentials as a dark horse: At 17 in 2019, Anisimova reached the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Ashleigh Barty, and she comes into this year’s tournament in form. She was one of three players—along with Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur and Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann—to reach the quarterfinals or better in each of the WTA 1000 events that led into Paris, in Madrid and Rome.
However, she quite possibly was dealt the most dangerous floater of all in the first round: Naomi Osaka. The former world No. 1 and four-time major-winner just missed out on the seeds in Paris at her current ranking of No. 38, and she and Anisimova will meet at a major for the second time this year. In January, Anisimova saved two match points en route to upsetting defending champion Osaka in the third round.
Gauff and Keys also boast historic success here, with Gauff reaching the quarterfinals last year and Keys reaching the last four in 2018.
Anisimova comes into Paris in form. Photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz leads the American men as the No. 13 seed, and he’s joined in the Top 20 by No. 17 Reilly Opelka. The other five—John Isner, Frances Tiafoe, Sebastian Korda, Tommy Paul and Jenson Brooksby—all loom between seeds No. 23 and No. 31.
In all, 14 American men made it into the main draw directly or with a wild card, and Bjorn Fratangelo secured his spot on Friday after winning three qualifying matches. The 15 American men in the singles main draw this year is the most since 19 competed in 1995. Seven is also the most seeds for the U.S. men at a major since the Grand Slams expanded their seedings from 16 to 32 players following the 2001 French Open. The U.S. hadn't had more than four men seeded in Paris since then until this year.
First Rounds for American Men at the 2022 French Open
(13) Taylor Fritz vs. Santiago Fa Rodriguez Taverna (ARG)
(17) Reilly Opelka vs. Filip Krajinovic (SRB)
(23) John Isner vs. Quentin Halys (FRA)
(24) Frances Tiafoe vs. Benjamin Bonzi (FRA)
(27) Sebastian Korda vs. John Millan (AUS)
(30) Tommy Paul vs. Cristian Garin (CHI)
(31) Jenson Brooksby vs. Pablo Cuevas (URU)
Marcos Giron vs. (18) Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
Brandon Nakashima vs. Kamil Majchrzak (POL)
(WC) Michael Mmoh vs. (Q) Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP)
Denis Kudla vs. (Q) Jason Kubler (AUS)
Maxime Cressy vs. (22) Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO)
Mackenzie McDonald vs. (LL) Franco Agamenone (ARG)
Steve Johnson vs. Jiri Vesley (CZE)
(Q) Bjorn Fratangelo vs. (11) Jannik Sinner (ITA)
Photo: VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images
Fritz hasn't played since reaching the quarterfinals in Monte Carlo, the first clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event of the spring, but he'll come into his sixth French Open looking to better his best result—a third round effort in 2020. Korda, Paul and Brooksby are all seeded at a major for the first time, and this Parisian milestone is particularly notable for Korda; two years ago, he came through qualifying and went all the way to the fourth round in his Grand Slam main draw debut.
Brooksby could earn another major match against world No. 1 Novak Djokovic should they both reach the third round. Last summer, Brooksby gave him all he could handle in a four-set defeat in Round 4 at the US Open. In another projected third-round blockbuster in the top half, Korda could face fellow rising star and No. 6 seed Carlos Alcaraz; Miami and Madrid champion Alcaraz has won 16 of his last 17 matches, with his lone loss coming to Korda in Monte Carlo.
The 2022 French Open begins on Sunday, May 22 and runs through Sunday, June 5. For more information, including full draws and the daily order of play, visit the official French Open website.
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