French Open is one of the four major annual professional tennis tournaments that make up the grand slam. The other three tournaments are the Australian Open, the Championships (Wimbledon), and the US Open. The French Open is also called Les Internationaux de France de Roland Garros or Tournoi de Roland-Garros.
The French Open is the second tournament of the grand slam, following the Australian Open. The French Open is held in May and June at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. It is the only grand slam event played on courts with a clay surface. The two main courts at the stadium are the Court Philippe Chatrier, named for a noted French tennis administrator, and the Court Suzanne Lenglen, named for a French tennis star of the 1920’s.
Men began competing in the French Open in 1891. Women started playing in 1897. Competition was restricted to members of French tennis clubs until 1925, when the tournament accepted players from other countries. The most successful male player in French Open history has been Rafael Nadal of Spain, who won 14 singles championships. The most successful women singles players were Chris Evert of the United States, who won 7 titles, and Steffi Graf of Germany, who won 6.
