1968 French Open – Men's singles

Ken Rosewall defeated Rod Laver in the final, 6–3, 6–1, 2–6, 6–2 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1968 French Open. It was Rosewall's second French title and fifth Grand Slam tournament title overall. The tournament was the first major of the Open Era, in which professionals were allowed to compete against amateurs. Rosewall and Laver, who had not appeared in a Grand Slam tournament since 1956 and 1962 respectively, were among those no longer barred from entering.

Men's singles
1968 French Open
Champion	Ken Rosewall
Runner-up	Rod Laver
Score	6–3, 6–1, 2–6, 6–2
Draw	135 (8 Q )
Seeds	16

Main article: 1968 French Open

Roy Emerson was the defending champion, but lost in the quarterfinals to Pancho Gonzales.

Missing from the tournament were WCT's "Handsome Eight" and top amateurs Manuel Santana, Arthur Ashe, Clark Graebner and Tom Okker.

It was future champion and future world No. 1 Ilie Năstase's first major appearance.

Seeds

01.   Rod Laver (final)

02.   Ken Rosewall (champion)

03.   Andrés Gimeno (semifinals)

04.   Roy Emerson (quarterfinals)

05.   Pancho Gonzales (semifinals)

06.   Fred Stolle (second round)

07.   Lew Hoad (first round, withdrew)

08.   Bob Hewitt (third round)

09.   Ion Țiriac (quarterfinals)

10.   Wilhelm Bungert (first round, withdrew)

11.   Nicola Pietrangeli (first round, withdrew)

12.   István Gulyás (fourth round)

13.   Cliff Richey (fourth round)

14.   Ray Ruffels (fourth round)

15.   Jan Kodeš (first round, withdrew)

16.   Alex Metreveli (first round, withdrew)

Click on the seed number of a player to go to their draw section.

Qualifying

Main article: 1968 French Open – Men's singles qualifying

Draw

^[1]

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild card
• LL = Lucky loser
• Alt = Alternate
• SE = Special exempt
• PR = Protected ranking
• ITF = ITF entry
• JE = Junior exempt
• w/o = Walkover
• r = Retired
• d = Defaulted
• SR = Special ranking

Finals

	Quarterfinals									Semifinals									Final
	2	Ken Rosewall	8	6	3	6
		Thomaz Koch	6	2	6	3
										2	Ken Rosewall	3	6	7	3	6
										3	Andrés Gimeno	6	3	5	6	3
		Boro Jovanović	4	0	2
	3	Andrés Gimeno	6	6	6
																			2	Ken Rosewall	6	6	2	6
																			1	Rod Laver	3	1	6	2
	5	Pancho Gonzales	7	6	3	4	6
	4	Roy Emerson	5	3	6	6	4
										5	Pancho Gonzales	3	3	1
										1	Rod Laver	6	6	6
	9	Ion Țiriac	6	6	3	3	0
	1	Rod Laver	4	4	6	6	6

Top half

Section 1

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	2	K Rosewall	10	6	6
		T Edlefsen	8	1	1					2	K Rosewall	6	6	6
		C Stubs	6	6	1	6	6				C Stubs	1	1	0
		J-C Barclay	4	8	6	2	2												2	K Rosewall	6	6	6
		B Geraghty	w/o																	JE Mandarino	2	4	2
		J Pinto Bravo									J Pinto Bravo	3	6	3	9
		J-B Chanfreau	4	3	5						JE Mandarino	6	4	6	11
		JE Mandarino	6	6	7																							2	K Rosewall	6	4	7	6
	15	J Kodeš	w/o																										H Fitzgibbon	1	6	5	4
		F Gentil									F Gentil	2	0	0
		T Nowicki	w/o								P Hutchins	6	6	6
		P Hutchins																		P Hutchins	3	3	3
		S Tacchini	w/o																	H Fitzgibbon	6	6	6
		H Fitzgibbon									H Fitzgibbon	6	7	6
	Q	P Proisy								Q	P Proisy	3	5	3
		R Krishnan	w/o

Section 2

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	7	L Hoad	w/o
		W Gąsiorek									W Gąsiorek	2	6	10	6	6
		R Summers	6	4	6						M Leclercq	6	2	12	2	2
		M Leclercq	8	6	8															W Gąsiorek	7	7	2	0	2
		F Jauffret	8	6	6															F Jauffret	5	5	6	6	6
		J Barrett	6	4	2						F Jauffret	3	6	6	8
		F Guzmán	w/o								J Kukal	6	4	0	6
		J Kukal																											F Jauffret	1	1	1
	10	W Bungert	w/o																										T Koch	6	6	6
	Q	Y Christiaen								Q	Y Christiaen	6	6	4	2	1
		T Ryan									T Ryan	3	4	6	6	6
		A Marcial	w/o																	T Ryan	4	1	2
		J Mukerjea	w/o																	T Koch	6	6	6
		G Pilet									G Pilet	4	2	5
		Z Ivančić	w/o								T Koch	6	6	7
		T Koch

Section 3

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
	3	A Gimeno
		E Cruz	w/o							3	A Gimeno	5	6	6	6
		S Dron									S Dron	7	1	3	2
		P Jauffret	w/o																3	A Gimeno	6	6	6
	Q	P Joly	4	4	0															I Buding	3	4	3
		I Buding	6	6	6						I Buding
		P Štrobl									P Štrobl	w/o
		I Molina	w/o																									3	A Gimeno	6	6	6
	14	R Ruffels																										14	R Ruffels	4	4	3
		V Kazakevitch	w/o							14	R Ruffels	5	7	6	8
		F Komáromi	4	2	6	3					F McMillan	7	5	4	6
		F McMillan	6	6	3	6													14	R Ruffels	6	6	6
		D Contet	0	0	0															P Cornejo	4	2	2
		N Špear	6	6	6						N Špear	4	6	3	2
		P Cornejo									P Cornejo	6	3	6	6
		D Herdy	w/o

Section 4

	Preliminary round									First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
										6	F Stolle	3	7	6	3	6
											C Duxin	6	5	3	6	4
																			6	F Stolle	3	0	3
																				B Jovanović	6	6	6
											B Jovanović	6	6	6
										Q	D Lloyd	1	0	1
																													B Jovanović	9	6	6	6	6
																													D Crealy	7	8	2	8	2
											I Năstase	6	6	6
											J-P Olivier	2	1	2
																				I Năstase	6	6	5	2
																				D Crealy	4	8	7	6
											M Sangster	7	6	6	6	0
											D Crealy	9	3	4	8	6
																																						B Jovanović	6	6	6
																																						G Battrick	1	1	4
										11	N Pietrangeli	w/o
											G Battrick
																				G Battrick	6	10	6
																				J-P Courcol	4	8	1
											J-P Courcol
											E Gorostiaga	w/o
																													G Battrick	6	6	6	6
		E Drossart	7	6	2	7																							D Sturdza	4	4	8	3
		J Bartlett	5	2	6	5					E Drossart	6	4	4	1
		D Sturdza	6	4	9	6					D Sturdza	3	6	6	6
		G Di Maso	2	6	7	2														D Sturdza	3	6	6	3	7
		C Fernandes	10	4	6	6														B Montrenaud	6	4	3	6	5
	Q	B Boutboul	8	6	3	1					C Fernandes	2	9	1
		B Montrenaud	3	6	6	8					B Montrenaud	6	11	6
		P Dent	6	4	3	6

Bottom half

Section 5

	Preliminary round									First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		P Szőke	6	6	3	1	5
		E Zuleta	2	2	6	6	7				E Zuleta	3	4	6	7	6
		R Russell	3	2	0						R Hawkes	6	6	3	5	0
		R Hawkes	6	6	6															E Zuleta	0	1	8	3
		C Dibley	0	2	6	2														M Cox	6	6	6	6
		B Paul	6	6	2	6					B Paul	1	1	1
											M Cox	6	6	6
																													M Cox	6	6	2	2
																												12	I Gulyás	3	8	6	6
											M Gilardelli	w/o
											T Ulrich
																				T Ulrich	2	1	1
																			12	I Gulyás	6	6	6
										Q	F Tutvin	2	1	4
										12	I Gulyás	6	6	6
																																					12	I Gulyás	4	2	2
																																					5	R Gonzales	6	6	6
											C de Gronckel
											P Rodríguez	w/o
																				C de Gronckel	5	0	1
																				P Darmon	7	6	6
											N Perry	2	8	1	1
											P Darmon	6	6	6	6
																													P Darmon	6	1	10	6
																												5	R Gonzales	1	6	12	8
											B Giltinan
											S Likhachev	w/o
																				B Giltinan	1	0	3
																			5	R Gonzales	6	6	6
											R Keldie	2	0	6	3
										5	R Gonzales	6	6	3	6

Section 6

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		P Pokorny	w/o
		A Stone									A Stone	7	6	6
		Joseph Mateo	w/o								B Lewandowski	5	1	0
		B Lewandowski																		A Stone	5	3	5
		G Goven																	13	C Richey	7	6	7
		G Merlo	w/o								G Goven	3	3	6	9	4
		J Velasco	w/o							13	C Richey	6	6	4	7	6
	13	C Richey																										13	C Richey	6	4	6	9
		S Palmieri	7	4	4																							4	R Emerson	0	6	8	11
		R Maud	9	6	6						R Maud	6	4	3	7	6
		B Fairlie	6	6	6						B Fairlie	2	6	6	5	3
	Q	B de Troye	3	1	1															R Maud	1	3	7	3
		P Beust	3	1	3														4	R Emerson	6	6	5	6
		B Phillips-Moore	6	6	6						B Phillips-Moore	10	1	1
		O Parun	7	1	2	2				4	R Emerson	12	6	6
	4	R Emerson	5	6	6	6

Section 7

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		M Riessen	w/o
		R Moore									R Moore	11	1	6	7	3
		M Holeček	6	2	6	6					M Holeček	9	6	2	9	6
		T Addison	1	6	1	4														M Holeček	6	6	5	2
		M Orantes	w/o																9	I Țiriac	3	8	7	6
		J-L Rouyer									J-L Rouyer	1	2	1
		G Deniau	1	1	1					9	I Țiriac	6	6	6
	9	I Țiriac	6	6	6																							9	I Țiriac	6	6	6
		J Moore	5	6	1	6	3																						Z Franulović	4	3	2
		A Segal	7	3	6	1	6				A Segal	w/o
		J Gisbert	w/o								Z Franulović
		Z Franulović																		Z Franulović	6	8	2	5	6
		A Cooper																	8	R Hewitt	2	6	6	7	4
		I Watanabe	w/o								A Cooper	w/o
	Q	J Thamin	1	5	0					8	R Hewitt
	8	R Hewitt	6	7	6

Section 8

	First round									Second round									Third round									Fourth round
		R Wilson	6	3
		J-C Molinari	4	1r							B Wilson	4	3	3
		R Carmichael	4	6	6	6					R Carmichael	6	6	6
		P Hombergen	6	3	1	0														R Carmichael	6	6	2	2	6
		A Fox	6	6	6															J Alexander	3	1	6	6	3
		A Acuña	2	1	0						A Fox	6	3	6	9	6r
		J Alexander									J Alexander	4	6	3	11	6
	16	A Metreveli	w/o																										R Carmichael	0	1	1
		Á Peña	4	1	1																							1	R Laver	6	6	6
		L Ölander	6	6	6						L Ölander	4	5	2
		P Mărmureanu									P Mărmureanu	6	7	6
		W Álvarez	w/o																	P Mărmureanu	2	0	7
		R Howe	6	4	4	4													1	R Laver	6	6	9
		N Kalogeropoulos	3	6	6	6					N Kalogeropoulos	2	6	4	1
		L Lumsden	1	1	4					1	R Laver	6	4	6	6
	1	R Laver	6	6	6

References

1. "Draws, ATP Tour, Tennis". ATP. Retrieved 12 October 2024.

External links

• Source for the draw at Fédération Française de Tennis website, fft.fr
• "French Open 1968 – Singles Draw". atpworldtour.com. ATP World Tour. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
• 1968 French Open – Men's draws and results at the International Tennis Federation

Preceded by 1968 Australian Championships – Men's singles	Grand Slam men's singles	Succeeded by 1968 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles