· The French Tennis Federation (FFT) is pleased to announce the latest edition of Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault 2025, the Final Stage of which will be held on 24 May, in public, in the Roland-Garros Tenniseum auditorium.
· For the fourth consecutive year, the competition will be played on Tennis Clash - the mobile game developed by Wildlife Studios which has been downloaded 170 million times.
· Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault is introducing a new format for its Final Stage which will see the participants compete as a team. They will be led by two prominent figures in French tennis including one Grand Slam winner - to be announced soon. Gilles Simon, the former ATP world number 6 and ambassador for previous editions, will bring all his experience to the second team.
· As part of offering an even more competitive experience, the final draw will go through a double elimination and will include winner’s and loser’s brackets.
· Renault and Mastercard have renewed their support for the competition as title partner and official partner, respectively.
· The €5,000 prize pool for Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault will be shared between the winner and the runner-up.
Paris, France - 24 February 2025 – Since selecting Tennis Clash as the official game for the 2022 competition, featuring 238,000 qualifiers, this unmissable global eTennis event has grown and improved impressively and this year's edition sees plenty of new features and excitement. With more than 548,000 participants in the Open Qualifiers across 215 territories in 2024, Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault is now enjoying resounding success in France and internationally! Last year, it achieved an important milestone by being held in the Roland-Garros Tenniseum auditorium in front of over 200 spectators in attendance and more than 200,000 watching live via Samuel Etienne's Twitch. The venue will once again welcome the world's biggest eTennis tournament for its 8th edition, with Renault as title partner and Mastercard as official partner. The French Tennis Federation (FFT) reaffirms its aim to elevate eTennis to the next level by offering a more competitive and immersive experience. A fully updated format therefore awaits participants and spectators, involving the most talented players and iconic personalities from French tennis.
Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault is being played again this year on Wildlife Studios' highly popular mobile game Tennis Clash, having been selected in 2023 for the Olympics Esport Series. The game is recognised worldwide for its advanced technical features and the talent shown by its players at the highest level. With a community of 5 million players connected every month, it is now established as the standard for online tennis games. The synergy between the Parisian Grand Slam and the game is the fruit of four years of close collaboration resulting in an increasingly immersive experience. For example, participants can compete on a faithful reproduction of the Philippe-Chatrier Court and can access exclusive outfits for the event for their favourite characters. The tournament's 2025 edition promises to be outstanding - with numerous improvements, starting with the integration of official Roland-Garros soundtracks. To enhance the immersive experience and capture the true essence of a tennis match, scores will be announced by Aurélie Tourte - the internationally renowned French referee who officiated at the Roland-Garros men's finals in 2021 and the Australian Open in 2024.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the continued growth of our competition and the evolution of Tennis Clash as the premier platform for competitive eTennis. This year, I’m particularly excited about the new Final Stage structure, which introduces a team-based dynamic and adds strategic depth by encouraging players to utilize different characters and playstyles throughout the competition”, says Giovanni Piffer, Business Development Lead for Tennis Clash.
In partnership with Renault, a new level of in-game integration will showcase the launch of the special Renault 5 Roland-Garros Series during loading screens. Strings in the colors of this special series will also be available.
Three qualifying stages will be held in March and April, will give players from all over the world the chance to secure a spot among the eight finalists. The best female players in the first two Open Qualifiers will advance to the Final Stage along with the winners. This is a true demonstration of the FFT's social commitment to diversity and inclusion, following the €8,115 donation to the Handigamers Association at the end of the 2024 edition. The five qualified participants will be joined by the two Grand Tour finalists, the circuit at the highest level of Tennis Clash, along with the reigning champion, the Italian Alessandro “ΔLEX” Bianco.
The competition will reach its pinnacle on Saturday 24 May 2025, with the Final Stage taking place in the prestigious Roland-Garros Tenniseum Auditorium, before a live audience and streamed on Twitch. This year marks the introduction of a new team-based format, with each squad supervised by a French tennis legend. Gilles Simon has been a commentator since 2023 and was invited into the Top 8 in 2024; he will face a formidable opponent whose identity is still under wraps. Each captain will lead a team of four, offering them the benefit of their expertise as tennis professionals. As a fervent supporter of tennis in all its forms and an eSports enthusiast, the former ATP world No. 6 and Davis Cup winner is eager to bring his expertise to virtual tennis. At the end of this first phase, the winning team will advance to the double elimination draw in the Winner Bracket, while the members of the losing team will start in the Loser Bracket. This is a difference that could prove crucial for the eight contenders in this Final Stage as they head towards the championship title! The two finalists will share the €5,000 prize pool.
This new format will delight players and spectators alike, by offering an exceptional show and face-offs!
“Being part of this Final Stage - whether as a consultant, player or now as a team captain - is always a huge honour for me. I am very excited about this new competition format and determined to prove to the other captain that my years of experience in the game will give my team a real advantage”, says Gilles Simon.
“Joining the biggest eTennis tournament as a team captain is very exciting. Helping these players perform on the biggest competitive stages is part of a mission that is particularly close to my heart. This tournament is the ideal setting to pass on my experience as a Grand Slam winner and support my team members in their quest for victory”, says the mystery captain of the second team.
As in every year, the eight finalists will have the opportunity to be part of a real eSports experience ahead of the Final Stage, with a full day spent at GameWard's premises - the official resident club of Boulogne-Billancourt led by current captain of the French Billie Jean King Cup team, Julien Benneteau, as sports director. Throughout the day, which is aimed at helping them improve, they will also be offered sessions on physical exercise and mental preparation, so that each participant is ready to give their best performance the following day.
For the second consecutive year, the French Tennis Federation is once again welcoming Renault as a title partner and Mastercard as an official partner. Their continued support helps enhance the global appeal of eTennis and reinforces Roland-Garros’ position as a leading player in this field, inspiring the other three Grand Slam tournaments. This dynamic collaboration, which includes Wildlife Studios with their Tennis Clash game, is behind the ongoing improvement and growth of the competition. This year, it will improve further with the integration of a special Renault 5 Roland-Garros series. The brand's new flagship model was voted car of the year 2025 at the prestigious L'Argus Awards.
Already an official partner of Roland-Garros and a regular player in eSporting events for a number of years across a range of initiatives, Mastercard is once again demonstrating its investment in the Roland-Garros eSeries and is featured in the game - notably with its logo on the virtual Philippe-Chatrier Court.
Join us to follow the competition on Twitch or experience it in person at the Roland-Garros Tenniseum for a one-of-a kind experience where tennis and eSports collide!
The Open Qualifiers will be held on:
· OQ #1: 6-11 March 2025
· OQ #2: 20-25 March 2025
· OQ #3: 3-8 April 2025
· Grand Tour: 24 February to 23 March 2025
Anyone wishing to register for one of the Open Qualifiers can do so free of charge on their smartphone or tablet via the Tennis Clash app, meaning that tennis fans around the world have the opportunity to take part.
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About the Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault
Created in 2018, Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault is the largest and most inclusive eTennis tournament in the world. The competition includes four qualifying tournaments that are open, free of charge, to all via the Tennis Clash app. The Final Stage includes eight participants: the five qualifiers from the Open Qualifiers will face the two best players from the Grand Tour along with the reigning champion. This year sees the introduction of a new team format for the Final Stage with two prominent figures in tennis as captains. It will take place on Saturday 24 May 2025 in the Roland-Garros Tenniseum Auditorium. Since 2022, the competition has been played on the most popular mobile tennis video game: Tennis Clash, developed by Wildlife Studios. With this new format, Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault confirms its leading position on the global eTennis scene.
About Tennis Clash
Tennis Clash is an online tennis game, developed by Wildlife Studios. In the game, fast and exciting matches are played against other players. Its success is evident in the fact that it has been downloaded 170 million times and its community of 5 million players connect to it every month. Its growth in the area of eSport continues, as does its recognition in the world of tennis by creating competitions in partnership with the four Grand Slam tournaments and through its selection for the Olympics Esport Series 2023. Simple to learn but difficult to master, the game remains faithful to both the physical and tactical aspects of tennis.
Tennis Clash is available on the Google Play Store and the App Store.