ROLAND GARROS

The French Open, also known as Roland-Garros, is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June at the Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, France. The venue was named for the French aviator Roland Garros, winner of the first-ever Davis Cup in 1900.

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The tournament is played on clay courts and is part of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 on the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour calendar and six-time Grand Slam event.

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The French Open was first held in 1891 at the Racing Club de France in Paris until 1914, when it was held at the Stade Français. In 1925 it moved to the current site and was held there. Until its transfer to Stade Roland Garros, all events were played on red clay, except during World War II when green clay was used to cover certain court surfaces. The tournament has been part of an annual international sporting event for over a century but only became a major championship in 1891 when it was opened to foreign players, which was seven years before Wimbledon got its own permanent

The stadium can hold up to 28,229 people and is equipped for wheelchair and regular tennis matches. A smaller adjunct court exists for boxing matches.

 

The French Open begins with qualification rounds on May 16, with the main draw starting on May 22.

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Currently, Rafael Nadal is the undisputed king of the French Open. He's been crowned many times on the clay surface at Roland Garros, with 21 Grand Slam titles across the four Slams.