With the French Open underway, we must see how the ball bounces on clay. It is one of the four major tournaments in professional tennis. It is the second one played annually after the Australian Open, but before Wimbledon and the US Open. Like Wimbledon, it is not played on a hard court. Clay courts are increasingly uncommon, which contributes to it being arguably the hardest major for one to win.
What makes the playing surface so unique is that it has a rare combination of slow pay, minimal bounce and a ton of spin. Hard surfaces like we see in the Australian and US Opens play considerably faster. Even Wimbledon played on grass over in the United Kingdom plays faster than the clay synonymous with the French Open. It is why winning all four makes one the master of major tennis.
So besides the playing surface being so retro in some capacities, the other big thing people often talk about is the name synonymous with the tournament in one Roland Garros. This is kind of like how the United States calls the men's golf tournament played over in the United Kingdom the British Open, but it is widely accepted across all places as The Open Championship. So it is kind of like that.
So if you have any more questions regarding the French Open or Roland Garros, I have you covered.
When did the French Open start using the name Roland Garros?
The French Open has been played almost annually since its founding back in 1891. It was not held from 1915 to 1919 on account of World War I, as well as in 1940 because of World War II. Because of the five-year interruption of the tennis tournament because of World War I, it is only fitting the major tennis tournament is named after a fallen war hero by the name of Roland Garros, a noted ace fighter.
When the Mousquetaires of René Lacoste, Jean Borotra, Henri Cochet and Jacques Brugnon retired from Philadelphia as 1927 Davis Cup champions on American soil, France decided it wanted to defend its momentous title by hosting it in their country. The Stade de France put forth an offer to the French tennis authorities of three hectares of land, so long as the stadium was named after Garros.
Is there a difference between the French Open and Roland Garros?
There is no discernible difference between the French Open and Roland Garros. The phrases are used interchangeably when describing the major tennis tournament that is played on a clay surface. What is important to know is the term French Open is mostly an English speaking reference, whereas Roland Garros is what the tournament is referred to in all languages of countries who compete for it.
Who was Roland Garros?
Garros was pioneer in aviation, as well as one of the first fighter pilots in combat. Although he did not achieve the mark of being a true ace, which is five or more aerial combat victories, his four helped him earn that recognition. On Oct. 5, 1918, Garros was shot down near Vouziers, Ardennes in France. He passed away one day shy of his 30th birthday. World War I would end a month after Garros' passing.