Overview
The clay-court major, played in Paris each spring — the slowest surface and the most physically demanding of the four.
Roland-Garros, widely called the French Open, is the second Grand Slam of the year, played over two weeks from late May at the Stade Roland-Garros in Paris. It is the only major contested on clay.
Clay slows the ball and produces a high bounce, which rewards topspin, movement and endurance over serving power. Rallies are longer and matches often run past four hours, making it the most physically taxing of the four majors.
Season Format
Recent Champions
Most recent first. Seasons still in progress are marked.
History
The championship dates to 1891 and became open to players of all nations in 1925. Its most extraordinary record belongs to Rafael Nadal, who won fourteen titles between 2005 and 2022 and lost only four matches at the tournament in his career — a level of dominance at a single event with no parallel in any sport.
The 2025 men's final, in which Carlos Alcaraz saved three championship points against Jannik Sinner and won after five hours and twenty-nine minutes, is already regarded as one of the greatest matches ever played.
Governance
The tournament is owned and organised by the Fédération Française de Tennis, under the Grand Slam Board and the ITF.