French Open
French Open Tickets
Tournoi de Roland-Garros, also known as the French Open, is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between mid-May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade de Roland Garros. It is the second of the Grand Slam tournaments on the annual tennis calendar. In a 1999 survey, professional tennis players named it the most prestigious event in tennis after Wimbledon. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world. Because of the slow playing surface and the five-set men's singles matches without a tiebreak in the final set, the event is considered by many to be the most physically demanding tennis tournament in the world.
Officially named the Tournoi de Roland-Garros (the "Roland Garros Tournament" in English), the tournament is often referred to as the "French Open," and sometimes simply as "Roland Garros." The event is named after its stadium, which is in turn named after the World War I pilot Roland Garros.
The event began as a national tournament in 1891. 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 Français. For the 1928 Davis Cup challenge, a new tennis stadium was built at Porte d’Auteuil. Named for a hero of World War I, the new Stade de Roland Garros, and Court Philippe Chatrier, was built with a red clay ("terre battue") playing surface.
Clay courts slow down the ball and produce a high bounce when compared to grass courts or hard courts. Just as grass courts have players whose skills are suited to its surface, clay court specialists have evolved who often succeed here while many higher ranked players struggle. Pete Sampras, who won fourteen Grand Slam singles titles, Roger Federer, the current World No. 1, and Jimmy Connors have won every other Grand Slam singles tournament but never the French Open. As of 2007, the last eight French Open men's singles championships were won by men who did not win any other Grand Slam tournament, as were the last 13 of 15. On the female side of tennis, the French Open is the title that has prevented players such as Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis from achieving a career Grand Slam.
In 1968, the French Championships became the first Grand Slam tournament to go "open," allowing both amateurs and professionals to compete.
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.