French Open (tennis)

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For the golf tournament, see French Open (golf).

Grand Slams

The French Open, officially the Tournoi de Roland-Garros (English: Roland Garros Tournament), is a tennis event held over two weeks between mid May and early June in Paris, France, and is the second of the Grand Slam tournaments on the annual tennis calendar. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world. The French Open is currently sponsored by the French bank, BNP Paribas.

The French Open 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 alternatively 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 Roland Garros, and Court Philippe Chatrier, was built with a red clay (terre battue) playing surface.

Clay courts slow the ball down and produce a high bounce when compared to grass courts or hard courts. As such, over the years, clay court specialists have evolved who often succeed here whilst higher ranked players may struggle. Fourteen-time major-champion Pete Sampras and current World No. 1 Roger Federer have won every other Grand Slam tournament several times, but never the French Open. As of 2006, the last six French Open men's singles championships were won by men who did not win any other Grand Slam tournament, as were the last 8 of 9, 11 of 13, and 13 of 17. On the female side of tennis, the French Open is the title that has prevented players such as Lindsay Davenport from achieving a career Grand Slam and in 1997, it was the only Grand Slam tournament that a then 16-year old Martina Hingis failed to win.

In 1968 the French championship became the first Grand Slam tournament to go "open", allowing both amateurs and professionals to compete. As of 2006, the French Open joined the US Open and the Australian Open as the only major tennis events to offer equal prize money to both the men and women singles winners.