The French Open is the second of five Grand Slam tournaments in the tennis calendar. It is considered to be one of the most prestigious tournaments in the whole world and is the only clay court championship that qualifies as a Grand Slam.
There is a men's and women's tournament in the Roland Garros, numerous doubles configurations, and a junior setup.
In this guide, we're exploring more about the French Open, its history, and some interesting facts and trivia about the tournament.
Why Do People Call it the "Roland Garros"
The tournament is technically called the French Open, but it is often referred to as the Roland Garros since this is the stadium's name.
The stadium was named after an aviator who was a talented fighter pilot and was thought to have revolutionised many aerial combat methods. He was sadly killed before the end of the First World War but was a national treasure in France.
Many people assume that Roland Garros was a tennis player, and while he did enjoy the sport, he was never a professional. 1928 when the new stadium opened in Paris, they decided it would be named in his honour.
The tournament is open to all players regardless of rankings, but there are qualifying rounds to get through to reach the main tournament.
When is the French Open?
The French Open usually starts towards the end of May every year. The dates vary, and the French Open schedule isn't always the same. There isn't a specific day that it starts or the day of the final, but this is usually in early June due to the length of the tournament.
If you want to visit the French Open tennis, you must be sharp in buying your tickets. They usually go on sale in March before the tournament starts in May. The final and later rounds will almost always sell out.
Who Has Won the French Open?
The French Open is one of the most interesting tournaments out there because it is unique, based on the surface it is played on. In the Open Era, all of the male winners of the tournament by year can be found below:
| Year | Winner |
| 2022 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2021 | Novak Djokovic |
| 2020 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2019 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2018 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2017 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2016 | Novak Djokovic |
| 2015 | Stan Wawrinka |
| 2014 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2013 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2012 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2011 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2010 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2009 | Roger Federer |
| 2008 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2007 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2006 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2005 | Rafael Nadal |
| 2004 | Gaston Gaudio |
| 2003 | Juan Carlos Ferrero |
| 2002 | Albert Costa |
| 2001 | Gustavo Kuerten |
| 2000 | Gustavo Kuerten |
| 1999 | Andre Agassi |
| 1998 | Carlos Moya |
| 1997 | Gustavo Kuerten |
| 1996 | Yevgeny Kafelnikov |
| 1995 | Thomas Muster |
| 1994 | Sergi Bruguera |
| 1993 | Sergi Bruguera |
| 1992 | Jim Courier |
| 1991 | Jim Courier |
| 1990 | Andres Gomez |
| 1989 | Michael Chang |
| 1988 | Mats Wilander |
| 1987 | Ivan Lendl |
| 1986 | Ivan Lendl |
| 1985 | Mats Wilander |
| 1984 | Ivan Lendl |
| 1983 | Yannick Noah |
| 1982 | Mats Wilander |
| 1981 | Bjorn Borg |
| 1980 | Bjorn Borg |
| 1979 | Bjorn Borg |
| 1978 | Bjorn Borg |
| 1977 | Guillermo Vilas |
| 1976 | Adriano Panatta |
| 1975 | Bjorn Borg |
| 1974 | Bjorn Borg |
| 1973 | Ilie Nastase |
| 1972 | Andres Gimeno |
| 1971 | Jan Kodes |
| 1970 | Jan Kodes |
| 1969 | Rod Laver |
| 1968 | Ken Rosewall |
| 1967 | Roy Emerson |
| 1966 | Tony Roche |
| 1965 | Fred Stolle |
| 1964 | Manuel Santana |
| 1963 | Roy Emerson |
| 1962 | Rod Laver |
| 1961 | Manuel Santana |
| 1960 | Nicola Pietrangeli |
| 1959 | Nicola Pietrangeli |
| 1958 | Mervyn Rose |
| 1957 | Sven Davidson |
| 1956 | Lew Hoad |
| 1955 | Tony Trabert |
| 1954 | Tony Trabert |
| 1953 | Ken Rosewall |
| 1952 | Jaroslav Drobny |
| 1951 | Jaroslav Drobny |
| 1950 | Budge Patty |
| 1949 | Frank Parker |
| 1948 | Frank Parker |
| 1947 | Joseph Asboth |
| 1946 | Marcel Bernard |
| 1940-45 | Not held |
| 1939 | Don McNeill |
| 1938 | Don Budge |
| 1937 | Henner Henkel |
| 1936 | Gottfried von Cramm |
| 1935 | Fred Perry |
| 1934 | Gottfried von Cramm |
| 1933 | Jack Crawford |
| 1932 | Henri Cochet |
| 1931 | Jean Borotra |
| 1930 | Henri Cochet |
| 1929 | Rene Lacoste |
| 1928 | Henri Cochet |
| 1927 | Rene Lacoste |
| 1926 | Henri Cochet |
| 1925 | Rene Lacoste |
Female players who have won the tournament multiple times include Steffi Graf, Justine Henin, Serena Williams, and Monica Seles. In the Open Era, the United States has dominated the women's tournament, with 15 winners coming from the US. British female tennis players dominated in the early 1900s, but this is way before the Open Era started.
Rafa Nadal – King of Clay
Nadal is considered the greatest clay court player of all time. He won his first title at the tournament in 2005 and has won 14 times in total since then.
Nadal has won tournaments on many other surfaces, but when it comes to the clay courts, he shows unbelievable tennis skills, and is known as the greatest of all time, especially where the French Open is concerned.
According to AS.com:
"Nadal's heavy topspin forehand – the most potent in the game - backed by his crushing, slightly flatter backhand, and his physical stamina make him particularly suited to clay. Also, left-handers are generally considered more difficult to read, which is why his former coach Toni Nadal decided to adjust Nadal's forehand early."
People have many different theories about exactly what makes Nadal French Open royalty and one of the best ever, but the truth is that many different factors go into it. Nadal should be celebrated as one of the true greats of the game.
Other players who were very good at playing on the clay surface (and French Open Winners) include Bjorn Borg and Rene Lacoste, and Henri Cochet, who shared the prize for the first five years of the open era.
What is Different About Clay Surfaces?
Not a huge percentage of tennis tournaments are played on clay. In fact, some Aussie, US, and British tennis players have gone on record and said they don't enjoy playing on clay.
Famously outspoken tennis player Nick Kyrgios once said: "I think the French Open should be removed from the Grand Slam, which is the worst Grand Slam I've ever seen."
Clay courts tend to be made out of crushed shale or brick, and they can sometimes slow down the ball. It also means that the ball bounces higher, resulting in long rallies that go on for a long time. The clay game is well-suited to those who can find spin and angles and enjoy rallies.
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French Open Prize Money
In 2023, the prize money for the tournament is €43.9 million in total, to be shared among winners and prize places. The men's and women's winners will take home a cool €2,300,000, but even the runners-up get half of that.
The elimination rounds allocate the rest of the prize money, but as a Grand Slam, this is one of the most lucrative tournaments for tennis players.
Even those players who make first-round exits get an incredible €69,000 for participating. Prize money is obviously not the most important thing in a tennis tournament, but it is fair to say the sport is doing well.
Some Interesting French Open Facts
Plenty of interesting quirks and facts go along with the fascinating tournament. In its history, spanning well over 100 years, there have also been plenty of exciting events that have taken place.
Let's explore some fascinating facts:
- An estimated 44,000kg of crushed red brick is used to treat the courts and prepare them for play yearly.
- Until 1925, only members of French tennis clubs could play in the tournament. It became known as the French Open when it was opened up to people from other countries.
- The winner gets a replica of the tournament trophy, the Coupe des Mousquetaires. Each time the new winner is presented with the tournament, it is brought out briefly before returning to its safe home in the stadium. Louis Vuitton created the special trunk for the tournament trophy. The trophy is named after the "Four Musketeers" of French tennis in the early days: Jean Borotra, René Lacoste, Jacques Brugnon and Henri Cochet.
- The tournament was not originally played on what we know as "clay" as it was played on sand for the first years of the tournament.
- Women did not compete for the first six years of the tournament when it was a male-only event.
A Thrilling Grand Slam Event
The French Open is one of the greatest events there is in the calendar, and it offers a huge challenge to many players. Rafael Nadal has said he will retire at the end of 2024, and at this point the tournament will enter a new era after losing one of its all-time greats.
A lot of people look forward to French Open tennis which marks the start of the European summer of tennis in many ways. Tennis lessons will have you well on your way to competing in tournements.
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