Paris, May 26 (UNI) In a bold post-match statement, Britain’s Emma Raducanu has raised eyebrows at Roland Garros by accusing French Open organisers of favouritism, claiming that some players are being granted privileged access to the tournament’s main courts.
“I feel like certain players get preferred treatment,” the world No.42 said, alluding to an uneven playing field ahead of her anticipated showdown with reigning champion Iga Swiatek.
Raducanu, who rocketed to fame after her 2021 US Open triumph, took aim at what she described as an “unfair” practice scheduling system that limits lower-ranked players’ time on iconic courts such as Court Philippe-Chatrier.
“The tournament doesn’t really help in terms of getting you court time on the bigger courts or on the match courts, really,” she said, voicing concerns over being made to transition abruptly from peripheral practice courts to the spotlight of stadium play.
The 21-year-old acknowledged the challenge of making such a leap. “It’s very different from the annex courts across the road. To then jump onto Chatrier or any stadium court—it isn’t easy.”
While Raducanu appreciated the atmosphere on the smaller court she played on—describing it as “cute” and “intimate”—she made it clear that more equitable scheduling would benefit all players, not just the top seeds.
Her remarks have added a fresh layer of scrutiny to how Grand Slam tournaments manage practice court allocation and whether rising or mid-ranked players are being unfairly sidelined.
