This article is about the tennis tournament. For the French aviator for whom it is named, see Roland Garros (aviator). The French Open (French: Les Internationaux de France de Roland Garros or Tournoi de Roland-Garros) is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between mid-May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. It is the second of the Grand Slam tournaments on the annual tennis calendar and the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world. It is one of the most prestigious events in tennis,[1] and it has the widest worldwide broadcasting and audience of all events in this sport.[2] [3] Because of the slow playing surface and the five-set men's singles matches without a tiebreak in the final set, some say that the event is considered to be the most physically demanding tennis tournament in the world.[4] [5]
History
Officially named in French the Les Internationaux de France de Roland Garros or Tournoi de Roland-Garros (the "French Internationals of Roland Garros" or "Roland Garros Tournament" in English), the tournament is often referred to as the "French Open" and sometimes simply as "Roland Garros."
The event began as a national tournament in 1891 as the Championat de France International de Tennis. The first women's tournament was held in 1897. In 1912, the French tournament was held with a different surface (at the time all tennis played was lawn tennis), a red clay ("terre battue"), made up from the crushed wastes of red brick. The tournament was open only to tennis players who were licensed in France through 1924.
In 1925, the French Championships opened itself to international competitors with the event held on a grass surface alternately between the Racing Club de France and the Stade Francais.[6] After the Mousquetaires or Philadelphia Four (René Lacoste, Jean Borotra, Henri Cochet, and Jacques Brugnon) won the Davis Cup on American soil in 1927, the French decided to defend the cup in 1928 at a new tennis stadium at Porte d’Auteuil. The Stade de France had offered the tennis authorities three hectares of land with the condition that the new stadium must be named after the World War I pilot, Roland Garros. The new Stade de Roland Garros, and its Center Court, which was named Court Philippe Chatrier in 1988, hosted that Davis Cup challenge.
Suzanne Lenglen Court at Roland Garros.
In 1968, the French Championships became the first Grand Slam tournament to go open, allowing both amateurs and professionals to compete.[6]
Since 1981, new prizes have been presented Prix Orange (the most fair-play and the most press friendly player), Prix Citron (the player with the strongest character, personality) and Prix Bourgeon (the tennis player revelation of the year).
Another novelty, since 2006 the tournament has begun on a Sunday, featuring 12 singles matches played on the three main courts.
Additionally, on the eve of the tournament's opening, the traditional Benny Berthet exhibition day takes place, where the profits go to different charity associations.
In March 2007, it was announced that the event will provide equal prize money for both men and women in all rounds for the first time ever.[7]
Surface characteristics
Clay courts slow down the ball and produce a high bounce when compared to grass courts or hard courts. For this reason, clay courts take away some of the advantages of big serves, which makes it hard for serve based players to dominate on the surface. For example, Pete Sampras, a player known for his huge serve, and Roger Federer, the current World No. 2, have never won the French Open. Similarly, John McEnroe and Boris Becker, two classic serve-and-volley players, never won this tournament.
On the other hand, players whose games are more suited to slower surfaces, such as Björn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Rafael Nadal, and Mats Wilander, have found great success at this tournament. In the open era, the only players who won both the French Open and Wimbledon, played on faster grass courts, are Rod Laver, Borg, Andre Agassi, and Rafael Nadal.
Champions
The trophies are all made of pure silver with finely etched decorations on their side, each new singles winner gets his or her name written on the plate holding the trophy.
Winners receive a replica of the won trophy. Pure silver replicas of the trophies are fabricated and engraved for each winner by the Maison Mellerio, located in the Rue de la Paix, Paris.
Records
| Record |
Era |
Player(s) |
Nos. |
Years |
| Men since 1891 |
| Winner of most men's singles titles |
Before 1925: |
 Max Decugis |
8 |
1903, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1912, 1913, 1914 |
| 1925-1967: |
Henri Cochet |
4 |
1926, 1928, 1930, 1932 |
| After 1967: |
 Björn Borg |
6 |
1974-75, 1978-81 |
| Winner of most consecutive men's singles titles |
Before 1968: |
Max Decugis |
3 |
1907-1909, 1912-14 |
 Frank Parker
 Jaroslav Drobny
Tony Trabert
 Nicola Pietrangeli |
2 |
1948-49
1951-52
1954-55
1959-60 |
| After 1967: |
Björn Borg
 Rafael Nadal |
4 |
1978-81
2005-08 |
| Winner of most men's doubles titles |
Before 1968: |
Max Decugis |
14 |
1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1920 |
 Roy Emerson |
6 |
1960, 1962 with Neale Fraser, 1961 with Rod Laver, 1963 with Manuel Santana, 1964 with Ken Fletcher, 1965 with Fred Stolle |
| After 1967: |
 Paul Haarhuis
 Yevgeny Kafelnikov |
3 |
1995, 1998 with Jacco Eltingh, 2002 with Yevgeny Kafelnikov
1996-97 with Daniel Vacek, 2002 with Paul Haarhuis |
| Winner of most consecutive men's doubles titles |
Before 1968: |
Max Decugis |
13 |
1902-14 |
| Roy Emerson |
6 |
1960-65 |
| After 1967: |
Gene Mayer
Yevgeny Kafelnikov & Daniel Vacek
Jonas Bjorkman &  Max Mirnyi |
2 |
1978 with Hank Pfister, 1979 with Sandy Mayer
1996-97
2005-06 |
| Winner of most mixed doubles titles - Men |
Before 1968: |
Max Decugis |
7 |
1904, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1909, 1914 and 1920 with Suzanne Lenglen |
| After 1967: |
Jean-Claude Barclay |
4 |
1968, 1971, 1973 with Francoise Durr |
| Winner of most titles (total: singles, doubles, mixed) - men |
Before 1968: |
Max Decugis |
29 |
1902-1920 (8 singles, 14 doubles, 7 mixed) |
| After 1967: |
Bjorn Borg |
6 |
1974-81 (6 singles) |
| Women since 1897 |
| Winner of most women's singles titles |
Before 1968: |
Suzanne Lenglen |
6 |
1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926 |
| After 1967: |
Chris Evert |
7 |
1974-75, 1979-80, 1983, 1985-86 |
| Winner of most consecutive women's singles titles |
Before 1968: |
Suzanne Lenglen |
4 |
1920-23 |
| After 1967: |
 Monica Seles
 Justine Henin |
3 |
1990-92
2005-07 |
| Winner of most women's doubles titles |
Before 1968: |
Simone Mathieu |
6 |
1933-34 with Elizabeth Ryan, 1936-38 with Billie Yorke, 1939 with Jadwiga Jedrzejowska |
| After 1967: |
 / Martina Navratilova |
7 |
1975 (with Chris Evert), 1982 with Anne Smith, 1984-85, 1987-88 with Pam Shriver, 1986 with Andrea Temesvari |
| Winner of most consecutive women's doubles titles |
Before 1968: |
Francoise Durr |
5 |
1967-71 |
| After 1967: |
/ Martina Navratilova
 Gigi Fernandez |
5 |
1984-85, 1987-88 with Pam Shriver; 1986 with Andrea Temesvari
1991 with Jana Novotna, 1992-95 with Natasha Zvereva |
| Winner of most mixed doubles titles - women |
Before 1968: |
Suzanne Lenglen |
7 |
1914, 1920 with Max Decugis
1921, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926 with Jacques Brugnon |
| After 1967: |
Francoise Durr |
3 |
1968, 1971, 1973 with Jean-Claude Barclay |
| Winner of most titles (total: singles, doubles, mixed) - women |
Before 1968: |
Suzanne Lenglen |
15 |
1919-1926 (6 singles, 2 doubles, 7 mixed) |
| After 1967: |
/ Martina Navratilova |
11 |
1974-88 (2 singles, 7 doubles, 2 mixed) |
| Miscellaneous |
| Youngest winner |
Men: |
Michael Chang |
17 years and 3 months |
| Women: |
/ Monica Seles |
16 years and 6 months |
| Unseeded Winners |
Men: |
Marcel Bernard
Mats Wilander
 Gustavo Kuerten
 Gaston Gaudio |
1946
1982
1997
2004 |
| Women: |
 Margaret Scriven |
1933 |
See also
List of French Open Men's Singles champions and finalists
Notes and references
External links
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French Championships (Amateur Era) |
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Coordinates: 48°50'49.79?N 2°14'57.18?E? / ?48.8471639, 2.2492167
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