French Open 2016: Men's Final Start Time, Schedule, Prediction and Prize Money
Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will meet in the final of the 2016 French Open on Sunday, with each player seeking his first taste of silverware at Roland Garros.
No. 1 seed Djokovic will contest the fourth French Open final of his career, having lost in 2012, 2014 and 2015, while Murray is the first Briton to make this fixture since Bunny Austin in 1937.
Aside from the pride and glory at stake, the winner also stands to claim a hefty payday, taking home a €2 million (£1.6 million) purse. The runner-up will haul in only half that amount.
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Read on for details of Sunday's final, complete with a prediction of exactly how the clash will play out.
| Date | Sunday, June 5 |
| Start Time | 2 p.m. (BST), 9 a.m. (ET) |
| Venue | Court Philippe Chatrier, Roland Garros |
| Prize Money (First, Second) | €2 million, €1 million |
Full prize-money lists are available on the tournament's official website.
Murray Beats Djokovic to French Fame
Regardless of who takes the title at Roland Garros on Sunday, one guarantee is that we'll see a first-time French Open winner. Murray enters the fray as a clear underdog, per Odds Shark.
A major factor in his dark-horse status is that success on clay hasn't always come naturally to the 29-year-old, as tennis commentator Rob Koenig noted:
That lack of familiarity appears to be fading, however, following his surge in form on the surface in 2016, including a final win over Djokovic at the Rome Masters in May.
Both players feel the pressure of the moment, though, as the in-form duo of the men's sphere battle for more than just French Open bragging rights, per the New York Times' Christopher Clarey:
It hasn't been an easy ride for Murray either, dropping sets to Richard Gasquet and reigning Roland Garros champion Stanislas Wawrinka in each of his last two victories.
On the other hand, Djokovic has conceded just one set all through the tournament—to Roberto Bautista Agut—and is in the form of his life, per the official Roland Garros Twitter account:
Murray will need to have a sense of urgency if he is to topple the Serb in search of his first French Open crown. Djokovic can so often thrive when stamina becomes a larger factor in his matches.
The No. 2 has weathered assaults from Gasquet and Wawrinka, only to emerge and show his best when it mattered, and he's on course to battle through the greatest adversity of his competition so far.
Prediction: Murray wins in four sets.
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