Williams, 45, will partner with ​Hailey Baptiste, 24, ​for the clay-court tournament at ⁠Roland Garros, which ​begins on May 24 in ​Paris.

Williams, however, will not compete in the singles tournament.

She was ​a wild-card entry ​at the Australian Open, where she ‌lost ⁠in three sets during the first round to Serbia’s Olga Danilovic.

Williams is ​a ​former ⁠World No. 1 in both singles and ​doubles. She has ​won ⁠seven Grand Slam titles in singles and 14 ⁠in ​doubles, including the ​French Open in doubles in ​1999 and 2010.

-Reuters

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Gauff battled from a set down to beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 and lift her first French Open crown and her second Grand Slam title after the 2023 U.S. Open.

She is the first Black American to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015.

“It means a lot (to win the title), and obviously there’s a lot going on in our country right now with things — like, everything, yeah. I’m sure you guys know,” she said, smiling but without elaborating further.

“But just to be able to be a representation of that and a representation of, I guess, people that look like me in America who maybe don’t feel as supported during this time period, and so just being that reflection of hope and light for those people.”

There has been ongoing political turmoil in the United States following the election of President Donald Trump last year.

Trump’s first few months in office have featured an unapologetic assault on diversity and inclusion efforts, unravelling decades-old policies to remedy historical injustices for marginalised groups in a matter of weeks.

In his second term, Trump revoked a landmark 1965 executive order mandating equal employment opportunities for all, slashed environmental actions to protect communities of colour and ordered the gutting of an agency that helped fund minority and women-owned businesses.

The actions have alarmed advocates, who say they effectively erase decades of hard-fought progress on levelling the playing field for marginalised communities.

“I remember after the election and everything, it kind of felt a down period a little bit and my mom told me during Riyadh (in November 2024) ‘just try to win the tournament, just to give something for people to smile for’.

“So that’s what I was thinking about today when holding that (trophy).

“Then seeing the flags in the crowd means a lot. You know, some people may feel some type of way about being patriotic and things like that, but I’m definitely patriotic and proud to be American, and I’m proud to represent the Americans that look like me and people who kind of support the things that I support.”

Trump has previously denied claims he has employed racist attacks and an agenda throughout his political career.

-Reuters

The French soccer club beat Inter Milan 5-0 in the showcase match in Munich on Saturday to clinch the trophy for the first time before the players and staff got a heroes’ welcome in the French capital on Sunday.

The festivities for Dembele, who was voted the Champions League Player of the Season, continued on Monday when he carried the shiny trophy onto Court Philippe Chatrier in front of more than 10,000 people.

He was wearing a white T-shirt with the word “triumph” written on it.

Paris St Germain’s Ousmane Dembele presents the Champions League trophy on the Philippe-Chatrier court before the fourth round match between Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Britain’s Cameron Norrie REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

Organisers could not have timed the brief ceremony better, with Europe’s most prestigious soccer club trophy arriving minutes after world number 361 and wild card Lois Boisson of France stunned third-seeded American Jessica Pegula in three sets to reach the last eight in the upset of the tournament.

“Ici c’est Paris, (This is Paris)” shouted Dembele as the normally more reserved afternoon tennis crowd erupted with cheers.

“Exceptional, it was a magic moment in Munich. We played an exceptional season and were rewarded with our first European Cup,” France international Dembele told the crowd.

“The individual titles are fine but it is the collective titles that matter. We will try to win as many titles as possible.”

Novak Djokovic, the 24-times Grand Slam champion and three-times winner in Paris, was on court later for a straight sets win over Briton Cameron Norrie and he was quick to congratulate the Paris club, having joined in PSG’s Sunday festivities.

“An incredible season for PSG so congratulations to all Parisians,” the Serb said after his 100th career win on the Roland Garros clay. “It was amazing to be there yesterday.

“Two days ago during the game I was playing and it was a bit complicated to get to my hotel afterwards, complicated being an understatement. The roads were quite the show.”

PSG are only the second French side to win the European Cup after Olympique de Marseille in 1993.

-Reuters

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British hopes rest on Cameron Norrie and fifth seed Jack Draper, who is up against the entertaining Alexander Bublik in the night session.

TOP MEN’S MATCH: NOVAK DJOKOVIC V CAMERON NORRIE

Djokovic came into the French Open having won his 100th career title at the Geneva Open and in the fourth round he can achieve something only 14-times champion Rafa Nadal has accomplished — 100 wins on the red clay at Roland Garros.

Djokovic’s third round victory over Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic was his 99th, equalling his own mark at the Australian Open where he has won the title 10 times. He also has 97 wins at Wimbledon and 90 at the U.S. Open.

“I’m just hoping to carry on. Every time I step onto this court I’m playing for history,” Djokovic said.

But if the sixth seed is to surpass Nadal’s jaw-dropping record of 112 wins at the French Open, Djokovic will find himself playing into his 40s.

Standing in Djokovic’s way is Briton Cameron Norrie, who downed Daniil Medvedev in the first round and has reached the last-16 for the first time in his career

“That match with Daniil was so tough, it was such a big test for me. To get through that, I thought I can take a lot of confidence from that,” Norrie said.

“To make the second week for the first time is so, so good and at a time where I was not really stringing a lot of matches and a lot of wins together.”

But he has work to do with Djokovic yet to drop a set while the Briton has lost all five matches he has played against the former world number one, including the semi-final in Geneva last month.

The pair played out a tense encounter in Rome in 2023 where Djokovic criticised Norrie’s attitude. Norrie hit an overhead smash at Djokovic’s leg when the Serbian had turned his back on the net having given up on a point.

TOP WOMEN’S MATCH: MIRRA ANDREEVA V DARIA KASATKINA

Andreeva has yet to drop a set at Roland Garros this year and the Russian sixth seed showed she means business when she packed off Yulia Putintseva by winning nine of the last 10 games in their third-round encounter.

But Russian-born Kasatkina, who now represents Australia, is high on confidence after knocking out 10th seed Paula Badosa in straight sets.

Andreeva and Kasatkina practice together and the Russian 18-year-old said: “It’s going to be an entertaining match, for sure, because I think we both know each other very well. I think it’s going to be fun and also maybe pretty tight.”

Andreeva is looking to better her semi-final run at Roland Garros last year while Kasatkina beat her in the only match they have played, a roller-coaster three-setter in Ningbo last year.

“Mirra, she’s a very nice girl and an amazing player. We’ve been quite good with each other. I can even say that I think we are kind of friends,” Kasatkina said.

“The last one in Ningbo was a big drama match. Let’s see what’s going to happen here. We never met on clay before.”

-Reuters

Gauff, a 20-year-old American who won the U.S. Open singles title last year, and Siniakova, who is from the Czech Republic, defeated Italians Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani 7-6 (5), 6-3 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

It was Gauff’s third women’s doubles final after losing championship matches at Roland Garros in 2022 and the U.S. Open in 2021.

Gauff and Siniakova both kissed the Coupe Simonne Mathieu — the winners’ trophy.

“Third time’s a charm. Thank you, Katerina, for playing with me. We decided two days before the tournament to play together,” Gauff said. “Thank you to the fans. I know 11:30 Sunday morning is early for most people. It’s early for me.”

Paolini was also the runner-up in the singles final at Roland Garros to four-time champion Iga Swiatek on Saturday. Swiatek beat Gauff in the singles semifinal.

“The last two weeks were very nice, very emotional,” Paolini said. “I have a lot of memories. I can’t wait to be back.”

Siniakova owns a career Slam in women’s doubles alongside partner Barbora Krejcikova and has won eight majors — including the French Open in 2018 and 2021.

Errani also owns a career Slam in doubles alongside her former partner Roberta Vinci. The Italian pair won the French Open title in 2012 — the year Errani lost the singles final.

“It’s really special to be in this court again. I don’t know how many more years I have to play. But it’s always special to play these kinds of matches,” the 37-year-old Errani said. “It will be special to play the Olympics here in this place. So I’ll see you in one month.”

Paolini was playing in her first final in women’s doubles.

Errani’s serve was broken twice in the first set, and Paolini stayed on the baseline to compensate in the 11th game. The tactic worked as Errani held serve.

Gauff and Siniakova took the first set when Errani’s volley at the net went long and raced to a 4-1 lead in the second set, with Paolini 0-30 down on her serve.

The Italians fought back to 4-3 with a service game to follow, but Errani’s serve was broken again and their momentum was lost.

-AP

The Serbian has now won the most Grand Slams of any male player and is the only one to have won each of the four – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open – at least three times.

But of the 23 Grand Slams, only three have come at the French Open with rival Rafael Nadal, who has 22 majors, dominating on clay with 14 wins in Paris.

Djokovic has also won ten times in Australia and three times at the U.S. Open while triumphing seven times at Wimbledon.

“It is no coincidence that I won the 23rd Grand Slam here in Paris because this tournament was really in my entire career the toughest to win,” Djokovic, who has played in the Paris final seven times, said to a cheering crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“A lot of emotions here on this court, also off the court,” he said, after lifting the trophy aloft.

“Thanks one more time for a special atmosphere, a marvellous one. I am very happy to share this special moment of my career with you in this special stadium.”

The 36-year-old won the title without Nadal in the tournament, with the Spaniard missing the Grand Slam due to an injury and surgery that will sideline him for the rest of the year.

Djokovic, who also eclipsed Nadal as the oldest champion in Paris after a tough fortnight, has now won 21 consecutive Grand Slam tournament matches.

He won last year’s Wimbledon, missed the U.S. Open and won in Australia in January before Sunday’s triumph in Paris.

“I am being fortunate in my life to win 23 Grand Slams. It is an incredible feeling,” he said.

“Whatever you are pursuing, tennis or anything else, I was a seven-year-old dreaming I would win Wimbledon and become No. 1 one day.

“One thing is for sure I felt I had the power to create my own destiny. I felt it with every cell in my body.”Djokovic can now extend his lead in Grand Slam victories with the season moving over to grass and Wimbledon, where he will bid for an eighth title

-Reuters

Umpire Alexandre Juge gave Kato a warning before Czech Marie Bouzkova and Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo, on the other side of the net, asked for their opponents to be disqualified.

“No, no, let me explain to you. She (Kato) didn’t do it on purpose, she (the ball girl) didn’t get injured,” Juge said.

“She didn’t do it on purpose? She’s crying,” Sorribes Tormo said.

“And she has blood,” Bouzkova added, prompting the umpire to go to see the ball girl, who was sobbing.

After speaking to the girl, the umpire went back up to his chair and announced the end of the match with the disqualification of Kato and Sutjiadi.

Bouzkova and Sorribes Tormo were leading 7-6(1) 1-3 at the time.

-Reuters

Age: 36

Country: Spain

ATP ranking: 14 (Highest ranking: 1)

Grand Slam titles – 22

* Australian Open (2009, 2022)

* French Open (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)

* Wimbledon (2008, 2010)

* U.S. Open (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)

French Open record

* Nadal made his debut at the French Open in 2005 and has a 112-3 win-loss record at Roland Garros.

* He was knocked out in the fourth round in 2009 by Robin Soderling, while he lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2015 quarter-finals and 2021 semi-finals.

* In 2016, Nadal withdrew before his third round match due to a wrist injury.

EARLY LIFE

– Born in Manacor, Spain to Sebastian Nadal and Ana Maria Parera.

– His uncle Miguel Angel Nadal was a former soccer player who represented Barcelona, RCD Mallorca and Spain.

– Introduced to tennis by another uncle, Toni, who encouraged his naturally right-handed nephew to play left-handed as it would give him an advantage.

– Turned professional in 2001 and won the junior Davis Cup with Spain in 2002. Won the ATP newcomer of the year in 2003.

CAREER TO DATE

– Won his first ATP singles title in Poland in 2004.

– Defeated world number two Andy Roddick to guide Spain to the Davis Cup title in 2004. Won the tournament again in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019.

– Won the French Open on debut in 2005 and a year later beat Roger Federer in the final.

– In 2007, he became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win a hat-trick of Roland Garros titles.

– Won his first Wimbledon title in 2008 with a five-set victory over Roger Federer, a match dubbed the ‘the greatest tennis match in history’.

– Won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in singles. Clinched doubles gold with Marc Lopez at the 2016 Rio Games.

– Suffered his first French Open loss in 2009 to Sweden’s Robin Soderling in the fourth round.

– Regained the title the following year, beating Soderling in the final. Also won Wimbledon for a second time in 2010 before claiming his first U.S. Open title, becoming the seventh man to win all four Grand Slams.

– Matched Borg’s record of six French Open titles with his 2011 victory and overtook the Swede in 2012.

– Became the first man with eight titles at the same Grand Slam when he beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the 2013 final at Roland Garros. He also won the U.S. Open that year.

– Became the first man to win five successive French Open titles in 2014.

– Won his second Grand Slam of 2017 at Flushing Meadows after a 10th French Open title in June.

– Claimed an 11th French Open title and his 17th major with victory over Dominic Thiem in 2018.

– Defeated Thiem again in the 2019 final to seal his 12th Roland Garros title. He also won a fourth U.S. Open crown by beating Russian Daniil Medvedev in the final.

– Matched Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles by defeating Djokovic in the French Open final in 2020.

– Got his 1,000th victory on the ATP Tour at the 2020 Paris Masters, becoming the fourth man in the professional era to achieve it.

– Suffered only his third-ever loss at Roland Garros in 2021 when he was beaten by Djokovic in the semi-finals.

– Missed chunks of the 2021 season, including Wimbledon, the Olympics and the U.S. Open, due to a long-standing foot injury.

– Defeated Medvedev in the 2022 Australian Open final to win a men’s record 21st Grand Slam title.

– Beat Norway’s Ruud to extend his record with his 22nd Grand Slam title and 14th French Open crown.

– Knocked out of the Wimbledon semi-finals and U.S. Open last-16 in 2022.

– In 2023, he fails to successfully defend his Australian Open crown where Djokovic triumphed and tied his record for 22 Grand Slam titles.

– Announces on Thursday that he will miss this year’s French Open after failing to regain full fitness from a hip injury suffered at the Australian Open in January,

-Reuters

Nadal, who has dominated the claycourt season for close to two decades, has competed at Roland Garros every year since claiming the first of his 22 majors in Paris in 2005.

“I’ll look to be 100% ready for next year, which I believe will be the last year of my professional career,” Nadal told a news conference at his tennis academy in Mallorca, Spain.

“The evolution of the injury I sustained in Australia has not gone as I would have liked. I have lost goals along the way, and Roland Garros becomes impossible.”

Nadal said he needs to stop playing for the foreseeable future to make a full recovery and return for what he anticipates will be his farewell season.

“I’ll not establish a date for my return. I’ll see how my body responds and take it from there,” said the 36-year-old, who is tied with Novak Djokovic with a men’s record 22 slam titles. “If I keep playing at this moment, I don’t think I can be there next year.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to come back in the highest level and compete for Grand Slams. What I will try to do is to give myself the opportunity to go back to what could be my final year competing at the highest level.”

The French Open runs from May 28 to June 11.

French Open organisers said on Twitter: “We can’t imagine how hard this decision was. We’ll definitely miss you at this year’s Roland Garros. Take care of yourself to come back stronger on court. Hoping to see you next year in Paris.”

Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who is set to reclaim the top ranking before the French Open, and world number three Daniil Medvedev said they hoped for a swift return to court for Nadal.

“Very painful and sad for everyone that you can’t be at Roland Garros or play more this year,” Alcaraz wrote on Twitter. “I hope that 2024 will be a great season for you and that you can say goodbye like the great champion you are.”

Medvedev said the French Open draw would now be wide open.

“Even if he wouldn’t be 100% physically, but decided to play, he’d be a favourite,” Medvedev said in an on-court interview at the Italian Open.

“Hopefully he can come back, play some more Slams… He’s an amazing player, amazing athlete, one of the best in history.”

HIP PROBLEM

Nadal overcame a niggling foot injury to beat Casper Ruud in last year’s French Open final. But he has struggled with his latest issue and has not competed since January after hurting his hip flexor in his second-round match against Mackenzie McDonald that effectively ended his Melbourne Park title defence.

Nadal was initially set to miss up to eight weeks but skipped claycourt tournaments in Madrid and Rome to build his fitness after being ruled out of events at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona earlier this season.

In March, Nadal fell out of the top 10 in the world rankings for the first time since 2005 and is currently 14th.

Nadal’s 14 French Open titles are the most by any player at a single major. He boasts a stunning 112-3 record in Paris and is widely regarded as the ‘King of Clay’.

“With what that tournament is for me, you can imagine how difficult it is,” Nadal said. “I need to put a stop to my sporting career for a while. I will try to regenerate my body during these months.”

Nadal added one of his goals for next year was to compete at the Paris Olympics, when the tennis tournament will be staged at Roland Garros.

“It’s an extra motivation to focus in my return,” he said. “I went through some very difficult years and I think it’s time to take better care of my body, I have suffered a lot with injuries… What will happen next year I don’t know.

“Roland Garros will always be Roland Garros with or without me … there will be a new champion and I’m sure the tournament will be a big success.”

-Reuters

The Spanish world number 14 has won the tournament in Monaco 11 times but is not fit to return to action.

The 36-year-old has not played since his straight-set second-round defeat by American Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open in January.

World number two Carlos Alcaraz is also out of Monte Carlo through injury.

The Spaniard, who is chasing Novak Djokovic for the number one ranking, has hand and back problems.

“After two months abroad I am happy to return home, but sad because I finished my last match in Miami with physical discomfort,” said Alcaraz, who lost to Jannik Sinner in the last four of the Miami Open, on Twitter.

“I will not be able to go to Monte Carlo to start the clay-court tour. I have post-traumatic arthritis in my left hand and muscular discomfort in the spine that needs rest to prepare for everything that is to come.”

Nadal had expected to be out for six to eight weeks after an MRI scan following his Melbourne loss showed a tear in his left psoas muscle.

But missing the start of the European clay-court season leaves him short of match practice before the Roland Garros event he has won a record 14 times, which begins on 28 May.

“I’m still not ready to compete at the highest level,” Nadal said on Twitter.

“I will not be able to play in one of the most important tournaments of my career, Monte Carlo.

“I am not yet in a position to play with the maximum guarantees and I continue my preparation process, hoping to return soon.”

Canada’s world number seven Felix Auger-Aliassime will also miss next week’s event with a left knee issue, but has said he hopes to be back for the Madrid Open which starts on 26 April.