French Open facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
French Open

Official website: https://www.rolandgarros.com
Founded	1891; 135 years ago (1891)
Editions	125 (2026) 96 Grand Slam events (since 1925)
Location	Paris, France
Venue	Stade Roland Garros (since 1928)
Surface	Clay – outdoors (1908–present) Sand – outdoors (1892–1907) Grass – outdoors (1891)
Prize money	€56,352,000 (2025)
Men's
Draw	S (128Q) / 64D (16Q)
Current champions	Alexander Zverev (singles) Marcel Granollers Horacio Zeballos (doubles)
Most singles titles	Rafael Nadal (14)
Most doubles titles	Roy Emerson (6)
Women's
Draw	S (128Q) / 64D (16Q)
Current champions	Mirra Andreeva (singles) Kateřina Siniaková Taylor Townsend (doubles)
Most singles titles	Chris Evert (7)
Most doubles titles	Martina Navratilova (7)
Mixed doubles
Draw	32
Current champions	Sara Errani Andrea Vavassori
Most titles (male)	Ken Fletcher / Jean-Claude Barclay (3)
Most titles (female)	Margaret Court (4)
Grand Slam
Australian Open French Open Wimbledon US Open
Last completed
2026 French Open

The French Open (also known as Roland-Garros) is a famous tennis tournament. It is held every year in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. This event is one of the four biggest tennis tournaments in the world, called Grand Slams. It takes place after the Australian Open and before Wimbledon and the US Open. The tournament started in 1891, but it became a Grand Slam event in 1925.

The French Open usually begins in late May and lasts for two weeks. The tournament and its stadium are named after a brave French pilot, Roland Garros.

This tournament is special because it's the most important tennis event played on clay courts. Clay courts are unique because they make the ball bounce higher and slow it down. This means players need to be very fit and good at long rallies. Many people think it's the most physically demanding tennis tournament!

History of the French Open

The tournament is officially called Internationaux de France de Tennis in French. But everyone knows it as Roland-Garros or the French Open.

Early Days of French Tennis

The tournament began in 1891 as the Championnat de France. Only tennis players who were members of French clubs could compete. The first winner was H. Briggs, a British player living in Paris. In 1897, women's singles matches were added. Mixed doubles started in 1902, and women's doubles in 1907. The tournament was paused during World War I from 1915 to 1919.

Becoming an International Event

In 1925, the French Championships opened its doors to amateur players from all over the world. This made it a major international championship. For a few years, it was held at different locations.

A group of four French tennis players, known as the "Mousquetaires", won the Davis Cup in America in 1927. France decided to defend their title in a brand new stadium in Paris. The president of Stade Français, Émile Lesieur, offered land for the stadium. He asked that it be named after his friend, the World War I pilot Roland Garros. The new Stade de Roland Garros opened in 1928. The French International Championships have been held there ever since.

Modern Era and Changes

During World War II, the tournament was not held in 1940. From 1941 to 1945, unofficial tournaments took place at the same venue. In 1968, the French Championships became the first Grand Slam to be "open". This meant both amateur and professional players could compete.

Since 1981, special awards have been given. The Prix Orange is for good sportsmanship. The Prix Citron is for players with strong character. The Prix Bourgeon celebrates a rising star in tennis. In 2007, it was announced that men and women would receive equal prize money for the first time.

Stadium Upgrades and New Features

A match between Roger Federer and Julien Benneteau on Court Philippe Chatrier during the 2013 French Open

Over the years, there were plans to improve the Roland Garros stadium. This included building a roof to prevent rain delays. After some discussions and legal challenges, renovation work finally began. A retractable roof was added to Court Philippe-Chatrier, the main court. A beautiful new stadium, Court Simonne-Mathieu, also opened. It's known for its unique design, surrounded by greenhouses. These upgrades have made the tournament even better for players and fans.

The 2020 tournament was special because it was the first to use the new roof. It was also played later in the year, in September and October, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Floodlights were also installed, allowing for exciting night matches.

In 2022, a new tiebreaker rule was introduced for all Grand Slams. If the final set is tied at 6-6, players now play a 10-point tiebreaker. The 2024 men's final was notable because it was the first time since 2004 that none of the "Big Three" (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, or Novak Djokovic) were in the final.

Honoring a Legend: Rafael Nadal

Commemorative plaque to Rafael Nadal unveiled during a tribute at the 2025 French Open, on the soil of the Court Philippe Chatrier

On May 25, 2025, Roland Garros held a special ceremony for Rafael Nadal. He is a 14-time champion and retired from professional tennis the year before. The ceremony on Court Philippe Chatrier included tribute videos and a standing ovation. His rivals, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray, also joined to honor him. A permanent white marble plaque was placed on the court near the net. It features Nadal's name, the Coupe des Mousquetaires with the number "14", and a replica of his footprint in the clay.

Unique Clay Court Surface

The French Open is the only major tennis tournament played on clay courts since 1978. Clay is the slowest tennis surface. The fine red clay dust makes the ball slow down and bounce much higher. This is different from hard courts or grass courts.

Because of the clay, big serves and "serve-and-volley" players have a harder time dominating. For example, Pete Sampras, who won 14 Grand Slams and was famous for his serve, never won the French Open. His best result was reaching the semi-finals in 1996. Other great players like John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors also never won this tournament.

However, many versatile players have won the French Open and other Grand Slams. These include Rafael Nadal, Björn Borg, Steffi Graf, and Serena Williams. Winning on clay and then on faster grass courts (like at Wimbledon) shows amazing skill. Players like Rod Laver, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic have achieved this difficult "double."

The French Open is also unique because it still uses human line judges. Other Grand Slams have moved to automated line calls. At Roland Garros, players can ask the chair umpire to check a ball mark on the clay to see if a shot was in or out.

The five different layers composing the clay courts

What are Clay Courts Made Of?

Clay courts are made of five different layers:

1. Red clay dust.
2. Crushed limestone.
3. Clinker (a type of coal aggregate).
4. Crushed gravel.
5. Drain rock fragments.

Beautiful Trophies

The trophies given to the winners are made by Mellerio dits Meller, a famous jewelry company in Paris. They are all made of pure silver with beautiful designs. Each singles winner has their name engraved on the base of the trophy. Winners also receive smaller, pure silver copies of the trophies.

Rafael Nadal holding the Coupe des Mousquetaires in 2006

The trophy for the men's singles winner is called the Coupe des Mousquetaires (The Musketeers' Cup). It honors the "Four Musketeers" of French tennis. The trophy weighs 14 kg and is 40 cm tall. The original trophy stays with the French Tennis Federation.

The women's singles trophy is called the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen (Suzanne Lenglen Cup) since 1979. It's a replica of a cup once given to the famous tennis player Suzanne Lenglen. Like the men's trophy, winners receive a smaller copy, and the original is kept by the French Tennis Federation.

Prize Money and Ranking Points

Players at the French Open compete for significant prize money and valuable ranking points. For the 2025 tournament, the total prize money was over €56 million. Winning matches and advancing further in the tournament earns players more money and points, which helps them improve their world ranking.

Champions

Past Champions

You can find lists of all the amazing players who have won at Roland Garros:

• Men's singles, winners of the Coupe des Mousquetaires.
• Women's singles, winners of the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen.
• Men's doubles, winners of the Coupe Jacques Brugnon.
• Women's doubles, winners of the Coupe Simone Mathieu.
• Mixed doubles, winners of the Coupe Marcel Bernard.
• All champions

2026 French Open Winners

Here are the champions from the most recent tournament:

Most Recent Finals (2026)

2026 event	Champion	Runner-up	Score
Men's singles	Alexander Zverev	Flavio Cobolli	6–1, 4–6, 6–4, 6–7(5–7), 6–1
Women's singles	Mirra Andreeva	Maja Chwalińska	6–3, 6–2
Men's doubles	Marcel Granollers Horacio Zeballos	Harri Heliövaara Henry Patten	6–4, 6–2
Women's doubles	Kateřina Siniaková Taylor Townsend	Anna Danilina Aleksandra Krunić	6–2, 7–5
Mixed doubles	Sara Errani Andrea Vavassori	Gabriela Dabrowski Evan King	4–6, 6–3, [10–4]

Tournament Records

Rafael Nadal, the all-time record holder in men's singles

Chris Evert, the all-time record holder in women's singles

Here are some interesting records from the French Open:

Record	Era	Player(s)	Count	Years
Men's Records
Most singles titles	Open Era	Rafael Nadal	14	2005–2008, 2010–2014, 2017–2020, 2022
	French Championships*	Max Decugis	8	1903–1904, 1907–1909, 1912–1914
Most consecutive singles titles	Open Era	Rafael Nadal	5	2010–2014
	French Championships*	Paul Aymé	4	1897–1900
Women's Records
Most singles titles	Open Era	Chris Evert	7	1974–1975, 1979–1980, 1983, 1985–1986
	French Championships*	Suzanne Lenglen	6	1920–1923, 1925–1926
Most consecutive singles titles	Open Era	Monica Seles Justine Henin Iga Świątek	3	1990–1992 2005–2007 2022–2024
	French Championships*	Jeanne Matthey Suzanne Lenglen	4	1909–1912 1920–1923
Other Interesting Records
Unseeded champions	Men	Mats Wilander Gustavo Kuerten Gastón Gaudio	1982 1997 2004
	Women	Margaret Scriven Jeļena Ostapenko Iga Świątek Barbora Krejčíková	1933 2017 2020 2021
Youngest singles champion	Men	Michael Chang	17 years and 3 months (1989)
	Women	Monica Seles	16 years and 6 months (1990)
Oldest singles champion	Men	Novak Djokovic	36 years and 20 days (2023)
	Women	Zsuzsa Körmöczy	33 years and 10 months (1958)

• The French Championships (1891–1924) was only open to members of French clubs. In 1925, it became open to international players. It was later renamed the French Open in 1968, when professional players were allowed to compete with amateurs.

Ball Boys and Ball Girls

Every year, 280 "ramasseurs de balles" (which means "ball gatherers") are chosen for the tournament. These young people are between 11 and 16 years old. They wear matching shirts and shorts. They are selected through an application process open to those licensed by the French Tennis Federation. In 2023, about 4,000 kids from France applied! Once chosen, they receive special training before the event.

See also

In Spanish: Torneo de Roland Garros para niños

Lists of champions

• List of French Open champions (all events)
  • List of French Open men's singles champions
  • List of French Open women's singles champions
  • List of French Open men's doubles champions
  • List of French Open women's doubles champions
  • List of French Open mixed doubles champions
• List of French Open singles finalists during the Open Era, records and statistics

Other Grand Slam tournaments

• Australian Open
• Wimbledon
• US Open