Once a year, Paris hosts the French Open, also known as Roland Garros. It’s a prestigious tennis tournament that runs for two weeks at the Stade Roland Garros, named after Roland Garros (1888-1918), a French aviation pioneer who fought as a fighter pilot in World War I.
The French Open in France begins every year in May (in 2023, the tournament ran from May 28 to June 11). Roland Garros is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments held every year (besides France, the others take place in Australia, the United States and England), and it’s the second one chronologically each year, right after the Australian Open. It’s the only Grand Slam played on clay courts. In fact, until 1975, Roland Garros was the only Grand Slam not played on grass.
The clay courts at Roland Garros make the ball bounce higher but travel slower. On top of that, men’s matches are played best of five sets. All of this makes Roland Garros the most physically demanding tennis tournament in the world. Matches here tend to run long and dramatic, and even the world’s best players often struggle to win this tournament.
The history of Roland Garros
The first French Championships in tennis took place in 1891, but back then it was open only to French players. The first women’s singles match was played in 1897, with only 4 women taking part. Mixed doubles was added in 1907. During World War I, between 1915 and 1919, no tournament was held.
In 1925, the tournament opened up to amateur tennis players from around the world and was designated a major championship. In 1968, the French Championships officially became open, welcoming both amateur and professional players.
Over the years, there were many complaints that matches at Roland Garros ran excessively long, partly due to rain delays. After many years of discussions, plans and cancellations, the stadium was renovated: a new court with 5,000 seats was built, and a retractable roof was added to another court.
The clay courts at the stadium aren’t actually made of clay. They’re made of a mixture of crushed red brick dust, coal residue, limestone, gravel and rocks. These unique courts neutralize the advantage of players with powerful serves, since the ball doesn’t bounce with the same force as it does on hard courts or grass. Because of this, even excellent tennis players have failed to win this tournament. Pete Sampras, for example, who won 14 Grand Slam titles over the years, never took the French Open, and his best result in the tournament was a semifinal appearance, in 1996. John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Lleyton Hewitt, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker and Martina Hingis also failed in their attempts to win Roland Garros.
On the other hand, players like Rafael Nadal, Björn Borg, Ivan Lendl and Chris Evert achieved impressive success in this tournament. Still, only a handful of men’s tennis players have managed to win both Roland Garros and Wimbledon: Rod Laver, Björn Borg, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and, of course, Roger Federer (born 1981).
The trophies for the tournament are made by Mellerio dits Meller, a famous Parisian jewelry design house. They’re made of pure silver with delicate, intricate ornamentation on both sides. The winners’ names are engraved on the trophy, and they each receive a copy made of pure silver, which they get to keep.
The trophy awarded to the men’s singles champion is called the Coupe des Mousquetaires, the Musketeers’ Cup. But this doesn’t refer to the historical Musketeers; rather, it honors four legendary French tennis players who led France to astonishing achievements in the sport during the 1920s and 1930s, including 20 singles Grand Slam titles.
The women’s singles trophy is called the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen, and its current design was first awarded in 1986. It’s a replica of a trophy awarded to the successful French tennis player Suzanne Lenglen (1899-1938) in the city of Nice. Lenglen was active during the 1920s and 1930s, and died at age 39. She was ranked world number one for six consecutive years, from 1921 to 1926.
The prize money at Roland Garros is impressive, as befits such a prestigious tennis tournament. Reaching the quarterfinals earns a player 380,000 euros. A finalist receives 1.1 million euros, and the singles champion (men’s or women’s) takes home 2.2 million euros. The total prize fund for the 2022 tournament stood at 43.6 million euros. It wasn’t until 2007 that women’s and men’s prize money was equalized. In fact, Roland Garros was the last Grand Slam to equalize prize money.
The Roland Garros stadium
Roland Garros is an impressive complex of tennis courts spanning about 34 acres. It’s located in western Paris, along the southern edge of the Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement. The complex’s triangular grounds are bordered to the north by Avenue Porte d’Auteuil and the A13 highway, and to the south by Boulevard d’Auteuil. Its eastern border is Avenue Gordon Bennett.
Roland Garros has 20 courts, including 3 large-capacity stadium courts, as well as a sizable bar and restaurant complex (Les Jardins de Roland Garros). The site is also home to the Tenniseum, the French tennis museum, established in 2003, which features mostly photographs and multimedia presentations on the history of tennis, along with about 100 historic rackets dating from the 1920s to today.
At the start of the 20th century, France was a major force in world tennis, largely thanks to the Four Musketeers and Suzanne Lenglen (after whom the tournament’s trophies are now named). In 1927, France even defeated the United States in the Davis Cup, largely thanks to the Four Musketeers. The stadium was built the following year.
In 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II, the stadium served as a detention camp for various Europeans and Russians whom the French suspected of being communists.
The courts at the stadium
Court Philippe-Chatrier: built in 1928 as the main court of Roland Garros, it’s still the star of the complex. It seats 15,225 and now has a retractable roof.
Court Suzanne-Lenglen: built in 1994, it seats 10,068. A bronze statue of Lenglen stands at the court’s eastern entrance.
Court Simonne-Mathieu: the newest court at the stadium, built in 2019, with 5,000 seats. It’s named after a French tennis player from the 1930s, Simonne Mathieu (1908-1980), who’s also remembered as a leader in the French Resistance during World War II.
The historic Court No. 1, sometimes nicknamed “the bullring” for its round shape, was a favorite among die-hard tennis fans because its small size allowed for close-up views of the action. Sadly, the court was demolished in 2019 and replaced with a space that lets visitors watch matches on large video screens.
Tickets for the French Open
You can buy tickets on the official Roland Garros website or on various sites that sell sports event tickets. Public ticket sales usually begin in March. You can sign up for an email alert for when sales open.
Tennis tickets aren’t especially cheap, particularly for a Grand Slam tournament, but the prices aren’t terrible either, especially if you’re a tennis fan who happens to be in Paris during the tournament. In 2022, a full-day ticket for the main court cost about 230 euros, but you could also find tickets for Court Suzanne-Lenglen for as little as 100 euros. There are also cheaper tickets for less central matches, some of which take place in the late evening hours, priced at just a few tens of euros.
Guided tour of the Roland Garros stadium
Want to see this legendary stadium up close? Join a guided tour of Roland Garros, and you’ll get a unique behind-the-scenes look, including the players’ reception building, the room where they prepare for matches, and even the ball boys’ and girls’ area. The tour includes a visit to the newest court, Court Philippe-Chatrier, considered an architectural masterpiece with a stunning retractable roof. And of course, you’ll get a rich historical overview of the tennis legends who’ve played here over the years.
More information about the tour
How to get to Roland Garros
The closest metro stations are Porte d’Auteuil (line 10) and Michel-Ange–Molitor (lines 9 and 10).
Buses to Roland Garros: lines 22, 32, 52, 62, 72, 123, 241 and PC1.
During the tournament, in May and June, the stadium runs a special taxi service at the southeastern corner of the complex, at the corner of Avenue Robert-Schuman and Avenue d’Auteuil.
If you’re thinking of staying near the stadium during your time in Paris, feel free to check out my article with recommended hotels in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, or alternatively, apartments in the 16th arrondissement.
Interesting records from Roland Garros
Rafael Nadal, who excels especially on clay courts and is now considered the undisputed king of this tournament, has won more titles at Roland Garros than anyone else, with no fewer than 14 wins. He also holds the record for consecutive titles at the tournament, with 5 straight wins from 2010 to 2014.
Among women, Chris Evert holds the most titles at the French Open, with 7 wins.
Monica Seles was the youngest player ever to win this tournament; she did it in 1990, at just 16 years and 6 months old. Serena Williams (born 1981), the unmatched tennis legend, was the oldest woman to win the tournament, at age 33 (in 2015).
American player John Isner holds the record for the most aces at the tournament over the years, with 671 unreturned serves. Federer trails him by just two aces, with 669.
Although it’s France’s home tournament, the last French man to win it was Yannick Noah, in 1983, and the last French woman to win it was Mary Pierce, in 2000.
The longest match ever played at Roland Garros lasted 6 hours and 33 minutes, in 2004. It was a first-round match between Fabrice Santoro and Arnaud Clément. It was also the longest match in tennis history until the record was broken at Wimbledon in 2010, when John Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut in a match that lasted 11 hours.
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