The French Open - Roland Garros
The Philippe Chatrier is the main court of the Roland Garros.
The French Open is a tennis event held over two weeks between mid May and early June in Paris, France, and is the second of the Grand Slam tournaments on the annual tennis calendar.
The French Open began as a national tournament in 1891. In 1925, the French Championships opened itself to international competitors with the event held on a grass surface alternatively between the Racing Club de France and the Stade Français. For the 1928 Davis Cup challenge, a new tennis stadium was built at Porte d’Auteuil.
Named for a hero of World War I, the new Stade Roland Garros, and Court Philippe Chatrier, was built with a red clay (terre battue) playing surface, one which alters the ball's bounce and the player's approach to the match vis-à-vis grass courts. As such, over the years, clay court specialists have evolved who often succeed here whilst higher ranked players may struggle like the great champion Pete Sampras and current World No. 1 Roger Federer who won every other Grand Slam several times but never the French Open.
As of 2007, the last eight French Open men's singles championships were won by men who did not win any other Grand Slam tournament, as were the last 13 of 15. The French Open is the title that has also prevented female players like Lindsay Davenport, Maria Sharapova, and Martina Hingis from achieving a career Grand Slam.
The French Open is billed as the most challenging of all the grand slams and the 2009 French Open tennis tournament is sure to adhere to the rigours and robust competitiveness so typical of the second of the annual tennis 'majors'.
Over fifteen thousand spectators have already reserved their seats on centre court, the famed Court Philippe Chatrier, and thousands more are expected to arrive at the spectacular Roland Garros venue over the two weeks of the competition in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the fabled combatants of clay court tennis.
Hosted by one of the most romantic cities in the world, Paris, the French Open 2009 event will run from from May 24 through June 7 and this year's event is sure to unleash some of the most riveting tennis - both the men's and women's defending champions for the singles event are vying for a fourth consecutive victory.
Tournament Champions
Roger Federer
Roger Federer became the current Gentleman's champion after defeating the swedish Robin Söderling in 2009 with a final score of 6–1, 7–6(1), 6–4.
Svetlana Kuznetsova
Svetlana Kuznetsova is the defending Ladies' champion, after beating her compatriot Dinara Safina in 2009. She is the russian professional tennis player who is currently ranked World No. 5. She also has won the 2004 US Open singles titles and was the runner-up in singles at the 2006 French Open and the 2007 US Open.
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