The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament still played on clay courts, which makes it very different from the other three majors and often leads to longer, more physically demanding rallies.

Although the tournament began in 1891, it did not officially become one of the four Grand Slam events until 1925, meaning it spent over three decades as a more limited competition.

The French Open is held every year in Paris at the iconic Stade Roland Garros, which has been its home since 1928. The tournament is named after Roland Garros, a World War I pilot, not a tennis player, which surprises many first-time fans.

Clay courts at Roland Garros are made up of multiple layers, including limestone and gravel, with a thin layer of red clay dust on top that gives the surface its famous color.

Before settling on clay, the tournament was once played on grass in 1891 and even on sand courts during the early 1900s.

The French Open is widely considered the toughest Grand Slam to win because matches are long, physically draining, and require winning up to seven best-of-five-set matches in the men’s draw.

The tournament usually begins in late May and runs for about two weeks, often serving as the transition from spring into summer in the tennis world.

Legendary player Rafael Nadal holds the all-time record with 14 men’s singles titles at the French Open, earning him the nickname “King of Clay.”

On the women’s side, Chris Evert holds the record with seven singles titles, showcasing incredible consistency on clay courts.

The French Open was once restricted to members of French tennis clubs, making it a very exclusive tournament in its early years.

The first women’s singles competition did not appear until 1897, several years after the men’s tournament had begun.

Mixed doubles were introduced in 1902, adding a new dynamic by pairing male and female players together.

Unlike many modern tournaments, the French Open still uses human line judges instead of fully automated systems, partly because clay makes electronic tracking less reliable.

Players can challenge calls in a unique way by asking the umpire to inspect the ball mark left in the clay, a feature not used on other surfaces.

The tournament was not held from 1915 to 1919 due to World War I, interrupting its early development. During World War II, the tournament continued in some form, but those editions are not officially recognized.

In 1968, the French Open became the first Grand Slam to allow both amateurs and professionals to compete, marking the beginning of the Open Era in tennis.

The main stadium court, Court Philippe-Chatrier, did not always have a roof, and matches were frequently delayed by rain before renovations were completed. A retractable roof was finally added in recent years, allowing matches to continue even during bad weather.

Night matches were introduced only recently with the installation of floodlights across the courts.

The 2020 tournament was postponed to the fall and played with limited spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite being one of the greatest tennis players ever, Pete Sampras never won the French Open. Several other legends, including Venus Williams and Andy Murray, also never captured a title there despite winning other Grand Slams.

Winning both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year is considered extremely difficult because the surfaces are so different.

The trophies awarded at the tournament are made of pure silver and crafted by the historic Parisian jewelry house Mellerio.

The men’s singles trophy is called the Coupe des Mousquetaires, named after four legendary French players known as the “Four Musketeers.”

The women’s singles trophy is called the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen, honoring one of France’s greatest tennis champions.

Winners do not get to keep the original trophies; they receive smaller replicas while the originals remain with the French Tennis Federation.

The 2025 prize pool reached over €56 million, making it one of the most lucrative tennis tournaments in the world.