French Open History
History - Important Facts - Record Winnings - Winners - Calendars 2008
From its beginning in 1891 through 1924, the French National Championship was exactly purely national, open only to members of French tennis clubs.
In the early 20’s tennis became a truly international sport largely because of the Davis Cup, and the French tournament opened to other nations in 1925. Attendance increased immediately, and in 1928 a new stadium was built at Porte d'Auteuil, outside Paris, to host the event.
It was named for a famous French flier, Roland Garros. The tournament became the French Open in 1968, when professional players were admitted for the first time.
After the World War I, French tennis was on the crest of a wave with Suzanne Lenglen winning six times between 1920 and 1926. Coupled with the need to host the Davis Cup after the winning it in 1927. The popularity of tennis in France precipitated the construction of a brand new tennis stadium at Porte D'Auteuil, named after French war hero Roland Garros.
The first competition was a one-day national championship, which strangely enough had an English winner in the men's tournament. Without the participation of the world's best, the competition languished until it became fully international 24 years later.
In 1968, the Open era started when professionals were permitted to enter. Nancy Richey took the ladies prize.
Legends of the sport took trophy after trophy in the 70's and 80's, with Bjorn Borg winning six titles and Chris Evert taking home seven. The 80's also heralded the return of French success, with Yannick Noah capturing France's first title for 37 years.
The late 80's and early 90's saw the rise of the teenage tennis stars. Michael Chang won the 1989 Championships at the age of 17 years and 3 months. Monica Seles brought her unique screaming style to the tournament in 1990 and won the title when still only 16.
The French Open will continue to develop as tennis evolves, and the new century will certainly unfold new legends.
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