Chinese internet giant Tencent will once again provide coverage of the Roland-Garros French Grand Slam tennis tournament after securing a new three-year rights deal with the French Tennis Federation (FFT).
The deal covers the next three editions (2026 to 2028) of the French Open, beginning with this year’s tournament, which takes place from May 18 to June 7.
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The service will air all matches, with a large selection made free-to-air, as well as additional content throughout the event, including Chinese commentary, editorial programming, and features designed for the local Chinese market.
The new deal marks the French Open’s return to Tencent, having previously aired the tournament between 2017 and 2022. Rival streaming platform Shinai Sports then acquired exclusive rights to the event between 2023 and 2025.
Jeff Han, vice president of Tencent Online Video: "Over the next three years, Tencent will fully leverage its core strengths in digital ecosystem, content production and user engagement to deliver a premium viewing experience, enabling Chinese tennis fans to appreciate the unique allure of clay court tennis and driving the popularity of tennis in China."
Tennis is currently experiencing a major surge in interest in China on the back of high-profile players in the men’s ATP and women’s WTA tours. On the women’s WTA Tour, Zheng Qinwen is a top-five player, while Zhang Zhizhen is the first Chinese player to reach the top 100 in the men's ATP rankings.
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By GlobalDataOther key players include ATP rising star Shang Juncheng and WTA players Wang Xinyu, Yuan Yue, and Wang Xiyu.
Stéphane Morel, chief executive of the FFF, said: “This partnership will allow tennis fans in China to continue following the tournament through widely accessible digital platforms, in a market where interest in tennis continues to develop."
Securing the French Open means Tencent now holds rights in China to three of the four Grand Slam tournaments, having already secured rights to air the UK's Wimbledon Championships and the US Open.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV holds exclusive rights in the country to the Australian Open, but its deal expired after the 2026 edition ended last month.
It also adds to Tencent’s broader sports portfolio, which includes the WTA Tour, motor racing’s prestigious Formula 1 (F1) series through the 2027 season.
The French Open, meanwhile, has been consolidating its broadcast partnerships, most recently with Indian pay-TV broadcaster Sony Pictures Network, which will exclusively air the tournament through 2027.
Media giant Warner Bros. Discovery, meanwhile, holds rights across Europe until at least 2030, and also provides coverage to the tournament in the US via its linear TNT, TBS, and truTV networks as part of a separate 10-year deal.
