Close your eyes and picture the fine red dust that rises under Rafa’s slides, welcome to Roland-Garros, the high point of the Parisian spring. Every year, the Porte d’Auteuil becomes the clay-court capital of the world: 630,000 spectators, 180 broadcasters and a story that is forever being rewritten. Let’s dive into the numbers, legends and technical backstage that make Roland-Garros a Grand Slam jewel.
Table of Contents
Roland-Garros: the Temple of Clay
Favorites for the 2025 Edition
After the 2025 European clay-court swing, five men (Alcaraz, Zverev, Ruud, Rune, Sinner) and five women (Sabalenka, Świątek, Gauff, Pegula, Ostapenko) stand out as main contenders, boosted by their titles and finals in Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Munich, Madrid or Stuttgart; Rome is still in progress as of 10 May 2025.
| Rank | Player | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jannik Sinner | Italy | 9 730 |
| 2 | Alexander Zverev | Germany | 8 085 |
| 3 | Carlos Alcaraz | Spain | 7 850 |
| 4 | Taylor Fritz | United States | 4 815 |
| 5 | Jack Draper | Great Britain | 4 440 |
| 6 | Novak Djokovic | Serbia | 4 130 |
| 7 | Casper Ruud | Norway | 3 715 |
| 8 | Alex de Minaur | Australia | 3 635 |
| 9 | Lorenzo Musetti | Italy | 3 550 |
| 10 | Holger Rune | Denmark | 3 440 |
| Rank | Player | Nationality | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aryna Sabalenka | Belarus | 11 118 |
| 2 | Iga Świątek | Poland | 6 773 |
| 3 | Coco Gauff | United States | 6 603 |
| 4 | Jessica Pegula | United States | 6 243 |
| 5 | Jasmine Paolini | Italy | 4 875 |
| 6 | Madison Keys | United States | 4 824 |
| 7 | Mirra Andreeva | Russia | 4 781 |
| 8 | Zheng Qinwen | China | 4 193 |
| 9 | Emma Navarro | United States | 3 797 |
| 10 | Paula Badosa | Spain | 3 761 |
| Tournament | Category | End Date | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monte-Carlo | Masters 1000 | 13 Apr | Carlos Alcaraz | Lorenzo Musetti | 3-6 6-1 6-0 |
| Barcelona | ATP 500 | 20 Apr | Holger Rune | Carlos Alcaraz | 7-6(8) 6-2 |
| Munich | ATP 500 | 20 Apr | Alexander Zverev | Ben Shelton | 6-2 6-4 |
| Madrid | Masters 1000 | 4 May | Casper Ruud | Jack Draper | 7-5 3-6 6-4 |
| Rome | Masters 1000 | 18 May | Ongoing | ||
| Tournament | Category | End Date | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuttgart | WTA 500 | 21 Apr | Jelena Ostapenko | Aryna Sabalenka | 6-4 6-1 |
| Charleston | WTA 500 | 6 Apr | Jessica Pegula | Sofia Kenin | 6-3 7-5 |
| Madrid | WTA 1000 | 4 May | Aryna Sabalenka | Coco Gauff | 6-3 7-6(3) |
| Rome | WTA 1000 | 18 May | Ongoing | ||
Farewell Appearances & Injury List
The 2025 edition will witness several heartfelt good-byes: Richard Gasquet will contest his final Roland-Garros after more than two decades on tour, while Italy’s Sara Errani has likewise announced that this fortnight will be her last singles appearance. Already retired, Rafael Nadal — fourteen-time champion in Paris — will be honoured in a special ceremony celebrating his unparalleled achievements on clay.
The draw also faces an unusually long injury list:
- Novak Djokovic: doubtful after the muscle issue that forced him to skip Rome.
- Juncheng Shang: confirmed out for the entire clay season.
- Lucas Pouille: still recovering and unable to compete at his home major.
- Jessica Pegula: has withdrawn to avoid rushing her comeback.
- Kristina Mladenovic: sidelined following a physical setback.
- Paula Badosa: persistent back pain means a last-minute decision.
- Barbora Krejčíková & Markéta Vondroušová: still in rehab, participation remains conditional.
Between poignant farewells and lingering injury doubts, Roland-Garros 2025 promises high emotion even before the first ball is struck.
History & Evolution
Born in 1891 as the French Championships on clay, the French Internationals were initially reserved for players licensed by French clubs. The event opened to foreigners in 1925, becoming a truly international tournament. Everything changed in 1927: after winning the Davis Cup in Philadelphia, the “Four Musketeers” (Brugnon, Borotra, Cochet, Lacoste) had to defend their trophy the following year. Lacking a venue large enough, the Federation built a 10,000-seat stadium at Porte d’Auteuil in barely a year. Inaugurated on 18 May 1928, it was named Roland-Garros in tribute to the World War I aviator. Since then, the tournament has never left Parisian clay. It became one of the four Grand Slams in 1968 with the advent of the Open era and remains today the only Major played on clay, an emblematic surface that forges its legends.
The Clay Court
Invented in 1880 on the French Riviera when the Renshaw brothers sprinkled crushed terracotta on sun-scorched grass, Roland-Garros’ “French-style” clay is now a true layer cake: at the bottom, a bed of large stones ensures drainage; then 30 cm of gravel, 7-8 cm of cinder (coal slag that retains water), 6-7 cm of compacted Craon white limestone, and finally the iconic 1-2 mm layer of crushed brick that gives the court its unique ochre. Slower than grass or hard courts, this surface softens footwork, lengthens rallies and magnifies topspin and slice. It demands endurance, tactics and mastery of sliding — qualities embodied by Rafael Nadal and Chris Evert. Completely rebuilt each spring with 1.1 t of brick per court (1.5 t for Philippe-Chatrier) and tended by a hundred court staff, clay is the technical, aesthetic and heritage DNA of Roland-Garros.
Courts & Infrastructure
- Philippe-Chatrier: 15,225 seats, retractable roof (2020), LED lighting for night sessions.
- Suzanne-Lenglen: 10,068 seats, future translucent roof (2024), design inspired by the champion’s skirt.
- Simonne-Mathieu: 5,000 seats, set within four tropical greenhouses (2019).
- Court 14: green terraces, panoramic view, symbol of the 2018 revamp.
- Entire site: 20 match courts, 18 practice courts, 13.5 ha, triple-layer clay (cinder / limestone / brick) and AI-controlled irrigation.
Records & Legends
- Rafael Nadal: 14 titles (all-time record).
- Chris Evert: 7 titles (women’s record).
- Steffi Graf: 6 titles and the only Golden Slam (1988).
- Justine Henin & Iga Świątek: 4 titles each.
Winners & Finalists since 1980
| Year | Winner (M) | Runner-up (M) | Winner (W) | Runner-up (W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Björn Borg | Vitas Gerulaitis | Chris Evert | Virginia Ruzici |
| 1981 | Björn Borg | Ivan Lendl | Hana Mandlíková | Sylvia Hanika |
| 1982 | Mats Wilander | Guillermo Vilas | Martina Navrátilová | Andrea Jaeger |
| 1983 | Yannick Noah | Mats Wilander | Chris Evert | Mima Jaušovec |
| 1984 | Ivan Lendl | John McEnroe | Martina Navrátilová | Chris Evert |
| 1985 | Mats Wilander | Ivan Lendl | Chris Evert | Martina Navrátilová |
| 1986 | Ivan Lendl | Mikael Pernfors | Chris Evert | Martina Navrátilová |
| 1987 | Ivan Lendl | Mats Wilander | Steffi Graf | Martina Navrátilová |
| 1988 | Mats Wilander | Henri Leconte | Steffi Graf | Natalia Zvereva |
| 1989 | Michael Chang | Stefan Edberg | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | Steffi Graf |
| 1990 | Andrés Gómez | Andre Agassi | Monica Seles | Steffi Graf |
| 1991 | Jim Courier | Andre Agassi | Monica Seles | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
| 1992 | Jim Courier | Petr Korda | Monica Seles | Steffi Graf |
| 1993 | Sergi Bruguera | Jim Courier | Steffi Graf | Mary Joe Fernández |
| 1994 | Sergi Bruguera | Alberto Berasategui | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | Mary Pierce |
| 1995 | Thomas Muster | Michael Chang | Steffi Graf | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
| 1996 | Yevgeny Kafelnikov | Michael Stich | Steffi Graf | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario |
| 1997 | Gustavo Kuerten | Sergi Bruguera | Iva Majoli | Martina Hingis |
| 1998 | Carlos Moyá | Àlex Corretja | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | Monica Seles |
| 1999 | Andre Agassi | Andrei Medvedev | Steffi Graf | Martina Hingis |
| 2000 | Gustavo Kuerten | Magnus Norman | Mary Pierce | Conchita Martínez |
| 2001 | Gustavo Kuerten | Àlex Corretja | Jennifer Capriati | Kim Clijsters |
| 2002 | Albert Costa | Juan Carlos Ferrero | Serena Williams | Venus Williams |
| 2003 | Juan Carlos Ferrero | Martin Verkerk | Justine Henin-Hardenne | Kim Clijsters |
| 2004 | Gastón Gaudio | Guillermo Coria | Anastasia Myskina | Elena Dementieva |
| 2005 | Rafael Nadal | Mariano Puerta | Justine Henin-Hardenne | Mary Pierce |
| 2006 | Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | Justine Henin-Hardenne | Svetlana Kuznetsova |
| 2007 | Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | Justine Henin | Ana Ivanović |
| 2008 | Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | Ana Ivanović | Dinara Safina |
| 2009 | Roger Federer | Robin Söderling | Svetlana Kuznetsova | Dinara Safina |
| 2010 | Rafael Nadal | Robin Söderling | Francesca Schiavone | Samantha Stosur |
| 2011 | Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | Li Na | Francesca Schiavone |
| 2012 | Rafael Nadal | Novak Djokovic | Maria Sharapova | Sara Errani |
| 2013 | Rafael Nadal | David Ferrer | Serena Williams | Maria Sharapova |
| 2014 | Rafael Nadal | Novak Djokovic | Maria Sharapova | Simona Halep |
| 2015 | Stan Wawrinka | Novak Djokovic | Serena Williams | Lucie Šafářová |
| 2016 | Novak Djokovic | Andy Murray | Garbiñe Muguruza | Serena Williams |
| 2017 | Rafael Nadal | Stan Wawrinka | Jeļena Ostapenko | Simona Halep |
| 2018 | Rafael Nadal | Dominic Thiem | Simona Halep | Sloane Stephens |
| 2019 | Rafael Nadal | Dominic Thiem | Ashleigh Barty | Markéta Vondroušová |
| 2020 | Rafael Nadal | Novak Djokovic | Iga Świątek | Sofia Kenin |
| 2021 | Novak Djokovic | Stefanos Tsitsipas | Barbora Krejčíková | Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova |
| 2022 | Rafael Nadal | Casper Ruud | Iga Świątek | Coco Gauff |
| 2023 | Novak Djokovic | Casper Ruud | Iga Świątek | Karolína Muchová |
| 2024 | Carlos Alcaraz | Alexander Zverev | Iga Świątek | Jasmine Paolini |
Record-holders
| Rafael Nadal | Novak Djokovic | Björn Borg | Gustavo Kuerten | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roland-Garros titles | 14 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Total Grand Slams | 22 | 24 | 11 | 3 |
| Year 1st title | 2005 | 2016 | 1974 | 1997 |
| Year last title | 2022 | 2023 | 1981 | 2001 |
| Chris Evert | Steffi Graf | Serena Williams | Justine Henin | Iga Świątek | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roland-Garros titles | 7 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Total Grand Slams | 18 | 22 | 23 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 1st title | 1974 | 1987 | 2002 | 2003 | 2020 |
| Year last title | 1986 | 1999 | 2015 | 2007 | 2024 |
Roland-Garros vs. the Other Grand Slams
| Australian Open | Roland-Garros | Wimbledon | US Open | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | Melbourne | Paris | London | New York |
| Surface | Hard (GreenSet) | Clay | Grass | Hard (Laykold) |
| Schedule | Mid-January | Late May – early June | Late June – early July | Late August – early September |
| Founded | 1905 | 1891 | 1877 | 1881 |
| Attendance | 1,110,657 | 630,000 | 532,651 | 957,387 |
| Total prize money | A$ 86.5 M | € 53.5 M | £ 50 M | $ 75 M |
| Centre Court capacity | Rod Laver 15,000 | Chatrier 15,225 | Centre Court 14,979 | Arthur Ashe 23,771 |
| Match courts | 35+ | 20 | 18 | 22 |
Prize Money 2024
Singles (Men & Women)
| Round | AO (A$) | RG (€) | Wim (£) | USO ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 3,150,000 | 2,400,000 | 2,700,000 | 3,000,000 |
| Runner-up | 1,725,000 | 1,200,000 | 1,400,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Semi-final | 990,000 | 650,000 | 715,000 | 775,000 |
| Quarter-final | 600,000 | 415,000 | 375,000 | 455,000 |
| Round of 16 | 375,000 | 250,000 | 226,000 | 284,000 |
| Round of 32 | 255,000 | 158,000 | 143,000 | 191,000 |
| Round of 64 | 180,000 | 110,000 | 93,000 | 123,000 |
| Round of 128 | 120,000 | 73,000 | 60,000 | 81,500 |
Doubles (per team)
| Round | AO (A$) | RG (€) | Wim (£) | USO ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 730,000 | 590,000 | 650,000 | 700,000 |
| Runner-up | 400,000 | 295,000 | 330,000 | 350,000 |
| Semi-final | 227,500 | 148,000 | 167,000 | 180,000 |
| Quarter-final | 128,000 | 80,000 | 84,000 | 100,000 |
| Round of 16 | 75,000 | 43,500 | 42,000 | 58,000 |
| Round of 32 | 53,000 | 27,500 | 25,000 | 36,800 |
| Round of 64 | 36,000 | 17,500 | 15,750 | 22,000 |
Roland-Garros embodies the quintessence of clay-court tennis — tradition, records and cutting-edge innovation. While Rafael Nadal and Chris Evert watch over their summits, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Świątek are already writing the next chapter of the Parisian epic.
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