50 Fun Facts About French Open

On which surface is the French Open played?

It is the only Grand Slam still played on the surface, and its red dust is actually a thin layer over crushed limestone and clinker.

In which city is the French Open held?

The stadium sits at Porte d'Auteuil on the western edge of the city, beside the Bois de Boulogne.

Where does the French Open sit in the calendar of the four Grand Slams?

It follows the Australian Open and comes just weeks before Wimbledon; in 1946 and 1947 it was actually held after Wimbledon.

Roland Garros, after whom the venue is named, was famous as what?

He made the first aeroplane crossing of the Mediterranean in 1913 and was killed in action a day before his 30th birthday in 1918.

What early aviation feat did Roland Garros achieve in 1913?

He was born on the island of Réunion, whose airport is also named after him.

In what year did the French Championships begin?

It was only open to members of French clubs until 1925, and the first winner was a Briton living in Paris named H. Briggs.

Until 1925 the tournament was open only to whom?

Some historians consider the World Hard Court Championships at Saint-Cloud, open to foreigners, the true forerunner of the modern event.

The stadium at Porte d'Auteuil was built in 1928 so France could defend what?

The Four Musketeers had just won the cup on American soil in 1927, and the tournament moved into the new stadium the same year.

What is the men's singles trophy called?

It weighs 14 kg and honours the Four Musketeers; the winner takes home a smaller replica.

The women's singles trophy is named after which French star of the 1920s?

It copies a cup the city of Nice once gave her, and the second show court also carries her name.

What was the main arena known as before it was renamed for Philippe Chatrier in 2001?

It seats about 15,000 after its 2019 renovation and finally got a retractable roof in 2020.

Which Parisian jewellery house has made the trophies since 1953?

They are pure silver, and each new champion's name is etched onto the base.

Which man holds the record for French Open titles, with 14?

His final record at the tournament was 112 wins and just four losses.

Who was the first player ever to beat the eventual 14-time champion at Roland Garros, in 2009?

The Swede did it in the fourth round; Nadal was four-time defending champion and lost only three more matches there in his whole career.

The 2025 farewell ceremony for the 14-time champion unveiled a plaque on the main arena featuring what?

The marble plaque near the net post also carries an engraving of the Musketeers' Cup with the number 14.

Roger Federer completed his career Grand Slam at the French Open in which year?

He beat Robin Söderling in the final after Nadal, who had beaten him in the previous three finals, was knocked out.

Which man won six French Open finals without ever losing one, including four in a row from 1978?

He also won the French Open–Wimbledon double three years running, something no other man has done.

Which woman holds the record of seven French Open singles titles?

Her record stood as the overall record for 27 years until Nadal passed it in 2013.

Who is the youngest man ever to win a Grand Slam singles title, taking the 1989 French Open at 17?

He famously beat Ivan Lendl with an underarm serve while suffering from cramp, then beat Stefan Edberg in the final.

Who became the youngest ever French Open women's champion in 1990, aged 16?

She beat world number one Steffi Graf in the final and won the next two Paris titles as well.

Which 14-time major winner never won the French Open, managing only a semi-final in 1996?

The slow clay blunted his serve; McEnroe and Stefan Edberg both lost their only Paris finals in five sets.

Which American completed his career Grand Slam by winning the French Open in 1999?

He came from two sets down against Andrei Medvedev in the final and began dating Steffi Graf, who won the women's title that fortnight.

Who is the last French man to win the French Open singles, in 1983?

He later became a chart-topping singer in France and captained the country's Davis Cup team.

Which Brazilian won the French Open three times, in 1997, 2000 and 2001?

His 1997 win was his first professional title of any kind; in 2001 he drew a heart in the clay for the crowd.

Which Belgian won four French Open titles between 2003 and 2007?

Her mother used to drive her across the border to watch the tournament as a child.

Which Pole won four French Open singles titles between 2020 and 2024?

Her first, in 2020, came as an unseeded 19-year-old in a near-empty autumn tournament; she is Poland's first major singles champion.

Which Chinese player won the 2011 French Open, the first major singles title for a player born in Asia?

She beat defending champion Francesca Schiavone in the final and later added the 2014 Australian Open.

Which Italian won the 2010 women's title, the last one-handed backhand player to win a women's major?

She was 29 and became the first Italian woman to win a singles major.

Which unseeded Latvian won the 2017 women's title from a set and 3–0 down in the final?

She was the first unseeded woman in a Paris final since 1983 and won on her 20th birthday weekend.

Which Swiss won the 2015 men's title, beating world number one Novak Djokovic in the final?

He beat the reigning world number one in all three of his major finals, and his checked shorts that day became famous.

Novak Djokovic completed his career Grand Slam at the French Open in which year?

It also gave him all four majors at once, the first man to hold them simultaneously since Rod Laver in 1969.

Which Australian won the 2019 women's title, her first major?

She later added Wimbledon and the Australian Open, giving her majors on all three surfaces, then retired at 25.

Which Romanian won her first major at the 2018 French Open after losing three Slam finals?

Two of those lost finals had been in Paris, in 2014 and 2017.

Which Czech doubles specialist won the 2021 singles title a week after her first WTA singles title?

She won Strasbourg the day before the tournament began and later added Wimbledon 2024.

Whom did Coco Gauff beat in three sets to win the 2025 women's title?

Sabalenka got her revenge at that year's WTA Finals; the two have become the tour's defining rivalry.

Who won the first Grand Slam of the Open Era, the 1968 French Open, aged 33?

He beat Rod Laver in the final, 15 years after winning the same title as an amateur.

Which Frenchwoman won the 2000 women's title, the last home winner of the women's singles?

She was born in Canada, raised in Florida and also won the doubles that year with Martina Hingis.

Serena Williams began her 'Serena Slam' of four straight majors at which tournament?

She beat her sister Venus in all four finals, the first time the same two players met in four straight major finals.

Why did the French Open long decline to use the Hawk-Eye challenge system?

Instead the umpire climbed down to inspect the ball mark in the clay, and human line judges remained in place through 2025.

After Wimbledon automated in 2025, the French Open was the only Slam still using what?

In 2025 umpires at Roland Garros still settled disputes by inspecting the ball mark on the clay.

Which arena, opened in 2019, is famous for being encased in greenhouses?

It seats 5,000 and is named after France's second-most successful female player.

The 2020 edition, first with a roof over the main arena, also introduced what?

It was pushed to late September because of the pandemic, so the new lights were needed as the evenings drew in.

Why was the 2020 French Open played in late September and October?

It was played in front of limited crowds and, for the first time, featured night matches under new floodlights.

In 2006, the French Open became the first Grand Slam to do what?

Twelve singles matches were played on the three main courts on that opening Sunday.

The Prix Citron, awarded since 1981, goes to which player?

The Prix Orange rewards sportsmanship and the Prix Bourgeon the newcomer of the year.

Roughly how many ball boys and ball girls are selected for the tournament each year?

Aged 11 to 16 and dressed in matching Lacoste kit, they are chosen from about 4,000 applicants.

Which network won the US rights to the French Open from 2025 in a $650 million ten-year deal?

Warner Bros. Discovery also renewed its pan-European rights via Eurosport as part of the deal.

Which two winners' names are given to the men's and women's doubles trophies?

Marcel Bernard's name goes on the mixed doubles cup.

Which Australian, a former junior champion, is one of only three men to complete the career Golden Slam?

Nadal and Djokovic are the other two; the Golden Slam adds Olympic gold to the four majors.

Which male player among these has never won the French Open?

He lost the 2016 final to Djokovic; McEnroe, Connors, Becker and Edberg are also on the list of greats who never won in Paris.