How to watch the French Open Tennis Anywhere

Tennis fans, the time has come for the 2nd Grand Slam event of the year. Yep, that’s right, the 2023 Roland Garros French Open is here.

If you’re like me, you’ll be regripping your racket and getting your sweatbands ready so you can get into the swing of things.

This year’s event is the 127th edition, with a whopping prize fund of €42,661,000. Not bad at all.

One aspect of the event I enjoy is that it’s the only clay court in all of the Grand Slam events, making things rather interesting.

However, with all the excitement around the event, you’re probably wondering how you can watch the event for free.

Luckily, I can help.

In this article, I’ll reveal the one thing you need to watch the 2023 French Open anywhere for free where you are.

Keep reading to discover how.

What you will need to stream the event

So why can’t you watch the 2023 French Open? It’s because of the regional restrictions placed on the event.

Certain TV stations are licensed to show the event live, while others aren’t. This means certain countries will have unrestricted access to the 2023 French Open for free while others will show it on paid subscription services.

Seems pretty unfair, huh?

Luckily, there is a way around this issue, and it’ll give you access to any country’s TV stations, no matter your location.

The solution? A ‘VPN app‘.

What is a VPN app?

A VPN app is an online security tool which helps you keep your private data secure while you browse the net.

However, I’ve been using mine for years to unblock overseas TV content, such as the French Open, without running into any annoying geo-restrictions.

Using a VPN app is simple and will allow you to unblock content from around the world with a click of a button.

I know what you’re thinking “What VPN is the best?”…

Best VPN for unblocking the 2023 French Open

The best VPN for unblocking the French Open is ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN is the Novak Djokovic of the VPN world. It has a world-class service with lightning-fast connection speeds.

And best of all, it’s incredibly simple to use. I’ve even managed to set my parents up with a VPN so they can stream Breaking Bad on Netflix while they’re abroad.

Not to mention their 30-day money-back guarantee so that you can try ExpressVPN without any risk.

There are a few noteworthy alternatives, but I’ll cover them further down in the article if you’re after shopping around.

30-day money back guarantee

How to use a VPN to stream the French Open worldwide

Follow these 5 easy steps to watch the French Open tennis anywhere in the world without restrictions.

Step 1

Head to the ExpressVPN website and sign up for one of their VPN packages. I highly recommend their 12-month package as it comes with 49% off and 3 free months.

Step 2

Download the ExpressVPN app to your device(s) and log in using your email and password.

Depending on your device you may need to use the activation code to login which you’ll find in your account area.

Step 3

On the app home screen, click ‘Selected Location‘ and choose a French* location to connect to. Hit the ‘Connect‘ button.

Watch the tennis in any country.

Step 4

Head to the France TV website, use the app or one of the others recommended later in this article, create an account if needed.

Step 5

Search for the 2023 French Open and stream it from your country for free.

*You can also connect to Belgium for access to the French Open on the Belgian RTBF channel. Or, you can join an Austrian location to watch the French Open on ORF and Servus TV.

30-day money back guarantee

Where to watch the free streams?

There are several places you can watch the French Open tennis.

Firstly, you can catch all of the action on the French TV channel France TV. If you have yet to guess, the channel is state-owned and one of France’s most popular stations.

Another option is Belgium’s RTBF which serves French-speaking Belgian nationals. This TV station will also be airing the 2023 French Open in its entirety.

Lastly, you can use a VPN to unblock Austria’s ORF and Servus TV stations.

To access each of the above in your country, you’ll need a VPN.

VPN Recommendations for Streaming

My top recommended VPN for you to unblock the 2023 French Open is ExpressVPN.

As I mentioned previously, it offers incredible connection speeds, so you don’t miss a single service during the event.

Pair this with incredible offers, an excellent VPN app, and incredible reliability; it’s challenging to beat.

However, if you don’t fancy using ExpressVPN, there are two other alternatives that you should check out.

NordVPN

NordVPN offers excellent pricing and brilliant connection speeds. I tested them last year to unblock the 2022 French Open and Wimbledon while I was travelling across Asia. It worked perfectly.

I found their VPN app simple to use, and the interface was similar over all of the devices I tested it on.

To top it off, they offer 256-bit encryption, so you can rest assured your data is safe with them.

Surfshark VPN

Surfshark VPN is a relative newcomer to the market. However, it’s been making waves. It offers excellent speeds, prices, reliability, and unlimited connections so that you can simultaneously link all of your devices to the VPN.

One aspect I LOVE about Surfshark is how many Netflix regions it unblocks, which is well over 30+. I used it to access Netflix libraries like US Netflix, Netflix Japan, and more.

It’s worth noting that all three VPNs come with a 30-day money-back guarantee so that you can try them out risk-free.

The Venue and Dates for the 2023 French Open

The 2023 French Open is being held at the 16th Arrondissement in Paris. It starts on Monday, the 22nd of May 2023, at 08:00 (CET) and finishes on Sunday, the 11th of June 2023.

While the event begins on the 22nd of May, the first week is the qualifying rounds, and the main event starts once the qualifiers have finished.

Here’s the schedule for the main events:

• May 28-30th: Men’s & Women’s first round
• May 31st – June 1st: Men’s & Women’s second round
• June 2-3rd: Men’s & Women’s third round
• June 4-5th: Men’s & Women’s fourth round
• June 6-7th: Men’s & Women’s quarterfinals
• June 8th: Women’s Semifinals
• June 9th: Men’s Semifinals
• June 10th: Women’s Final
• June 11th: Men’s Final

I’m pretty excited about this year’s event, as there are a few key players coming back from injuries that could shake things up a little. I’ll discuss it further in the next section.

Key Players to look out for

Most of the usual faces will be playing in the 2023 French Open. Here are a few players who I think you should keep a close eye on throughout the event.

Carlos Alcaraz

Last year’s quarter-finalist Carlos Alcaraz is one of the main standouts for me. He’ll be looking to take the top spot.

He has a point to prove, as he’s currently ranked as the world No 2.

Could he win the title? I think he’s got a chance, and if I’m honest, it’ll be between him and Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic

The current world No 1 is heading back for the French Open and will be looking to make a statement.

He currently has 22 Grand Slam titles under his belt and will be looking to add another, and I believe he’ll do it; he seems unstoppable.

Rafael Nadal

This Grand Slam champion also has 22 titles. However, he is currently ranked No 14 in the world, but don’t let this fool you.

He’s returning from a hip injury, and I can almost guarantee he’ll make it to the latter stages of the competition. I’m sure he’ll also begin climbing up the world rankings too.

However, The Express Newspaper said, “Nadal was spotted hunched over and clearly in pain as he was surrounded by his team, before covering his face and walking away in a worrying moment that will only further dent his chances of competing at the French Open.”

This might throw a spanner in the works if you ask me.

Iga Swiatek

The women’s world No 1 is coming to take the singles Grand Slam championship, and I reckon she’ll do it.

She won both the 2020 and 2022 French Open editions and will be looking to add another to her name.

Aryna Sabalenka

This Belarusian champion is currently ranked No 2 in the world and will be putting up a fight against Iga Swiatek’s claim to the French Open title.

While I think she stands a good chance in this competition, I think it’ll be a BIG ask for her to beat Iga.

Concluding tips for enjoying the French Open

To make the most of the French Open, you need to fully immerse yourself in the event.

Keep an eye on the schedule

Firstly I highly recommend making a note of the match schedules that I mentioned above so you don’t miss a second of the event.

Engage in fan communities

Find an online fan group and engage with other fans, have fun, have a discussion on threads, and enjoy the entire experience.

Make some French snacks

Fancy a baguette? Croissant? Pick some of France’s finest snacks to eat while you’re watching the 2023 French Open.

I’ll be having a selection of Macaroons throughout the week. What will you have?

Dress for the occasion

OK, this might not be for everyone but don your finest Slazenger T-shirt, white socks, trainers, and sweatband. Have some fun with it.

Overall, just enjoy yourself. While I won’t be dressing up, I’ll definitely be having a wide selection of French snacks to get me in the mood for the French Open.

After all, it’s the French equivalent of Wimbledon… and you wouldn’t watch Wimbledon without strawberries and cream, would you?

Conclusion

The 2023 French Open is set to be a wild ride. With a wide range of world-class contestants and with several familiar faces coming back from injury, it’ll be difficult to guess who’ll come out on top.

My money’s on Iga Swiatek and Novak Djokovic, but in all honesty, it’ll be a close one.

If you’ve been wondering how to stream the 2023 French Open in your country, you need a VPN app. The best VPNs for the job are:

1. ExpressVPN – Highly Recommended!
2. NordVPN
3. Surfshark VPN

By using one of the above, you can access the tournament broadcasts for free from anywhere in the world – no more annoying regional restrictions for you.

Get ExpressVPN today and prepare yourself for the 2023 French Open.