India won its first major Grand Slam in the French Open back in 1997 when Mahesh Bhupati won the mixed doubles with Rika Hiraki.
Since then there have been several golden moments on the red soil in Paris as on seven occasions an Indian has emerged triumphant at the Rolland Garros.
TSN takes a look at all the Grand Slam wins by Indians at the French Open.
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1997: Mahesh Bhupathi, mixed doubles title with Rika Hiraki
In 1997, Mahesh Bhupathi made history by becoming the first Indian to win a major tennis title when he secured the French Open mixed doubles championship alongside Japan's Rika Hiraki.
Bhupathi, then 23 years old, was competing in mixed doubles at a major for the first time. Due to their rankings, with Hiraki at No. 30 and Bhupathi at No. 52, they were the last team to enter the draw.
#OnThisDay in 1️⃣9️⃣9️⃣7️⃣ French Open, @Maheshbhupathi became the first 🇮🇳 player to win a Grand Slam tournament.
— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) June 7, 2020
Mahesh Bhupathi and Japanese player Rika Hiraki won the 🏆 defeating Lisa Raymond and Patrick Galbraith 6-4, 6-1 in the final. pic.twitter.com/ih5oa2W5c5
Initially, the newly-formed pair took some time to find their rhythm. Despite a nervous three-set victory in the first round, Bhupathi and Hiraki displayed remarkable performance by eliminating four seeded teams on their path to the final. In the title clash, they delivered a commanding performance, defeating top-seeded duo Lisa Raymond and Patrick Galbraith from the USA with a score of 6-4, 6-1.
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1999: Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes, men's doubles
The year 1999 marked a significant milestone in the early careers of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi as they made their presence felt in the world of tennis by reaching the men's doubles final at all four major tournaments.
Paes and Bhupathi etched their names in history by becoming the first Indian pair to win a major title together. Affectionately known as the 'Indian Express,' they displayed their prowess by defeating Goran Ivanisevic and Jeff Tarango in the final with a score of 6-2, 7-5.
Reflecting on their achievement, Bhupathi expressed, "Our hard work has finally paid off. This success was not just a result of two weeks of effort but four years of dedication. Now, we are fueled by our ambition and desire for more success."
2001: Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes, men's doubles
In 2000, injuries and personal issues contributed to a split between Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. However, they reunited for the Sydney Olympics, although their journey ended in the second round.
However, they bounced back strongly in the 2001 French Open. Despite being unseeded in the tournament, Paes and Bhupathi breezed past the third-seeded pair of Jiri Novak and David Rikl in the third round, securing a comfortable 6-3, 6-1 victory.
They continued their impressive run by defeating the 11th-seeded duo of Michael Hill and Jeff Tarango in the semi-finals. In the final, Paes and Bhupathi triumphed over Petr Pala and Pavel Vizner with a score of 7-6, 6-3, reclaiming the French Open men's doubles title.
2009: Leander Paes, men's doubles title with Lukas Dlouhy
After narrowly losing the 2008 US Open final, Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy put up a brilliant show in the French Open.
In the semi-final, the Indo-Czech pair had already eliminated the top-seeded duo of Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic. Next up they had to lock horns against Wesley Moodie and Dick Norman.
They did not have a bright start as they lost the first set 3-6. However, they showed perseverance and great resilience to stage a comeback and win the next two sets 6-3, 6-2.
However, Paes, in an interview with Indian publication DNA following their victory, expressed his preference for grass courts, stating, "My game is more suited to grass.
I have had to learn the basics of playing on clay at a much later stage in life. I have had to adapt... I had to learn movement, ball control, the slides, the very basics of clay. And here am I now with three (men's doubles titles)!"
2012: Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi, mixed doubles title
Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi secured their second Grand Slam title together at the 2012 French Open as the Indian pair emerged victorious in the final, defeating Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico and Klaudia Jans-Ignacik of Poland with a score of 7-6, 6-1.
This triumph marked a significant moment for Bhupathi, who had already accumulated 12 major championships. Coincidentally, just like his first major win, Bhupathi clinched his last Grand Slam title on his birthday.
After the match, Mirza shared an interesting anecdote, stating, "It's happened the second time on his birthday. Funnily enough, he said it the first time when we were playing the first round. He said, 'Oh, last time I won on my birthday in Paris. I won my first slam'... So he said, 'Maybe it's destiny'. We were still in the first round. We kept winning and we didn't want to jinx it, so we didn't mention it again."
2016: Leander Paes, mixed doubles title with Martina Hingis
In 2016, Leander Paes achieved a remarkable milestone in his career by completing a Career Slam in mixed doubles, securing the title alongside Martina Hingis.
In a thrilling final that lasted an hour and 28 minutes, the Indo-Swiss pair emerged victorious by defeating the second-seeded duo of Ivan Dodig and Sania Mirza with a score of 4-6, 6-4, 10-8.
Following their triumph, Paes, who was 42 years old at the time, expressed his joy in an interview with India Today, stating, "This is the one grand slam that was missing from my showcase and to complete it after so many years after the men's career Grand Slam has made it a full career."
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2017: Rohan Bopanna, mixed doubles title with Gabriela Dabrowski
In 2017, Rohan Bopanna achieved a significant milestone in his career by winning the French Open mixed doubles title alongside Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada as it was his first major in his career.
Bopanna, who was 37 years old at the time, displayed exceptional performance by not dropping his serve throughout the match. Bopanna and Dabrowski overcame the duo of Anna-Lena Groenefeld from Germany and Robert Farah from Colombia with a score of 2-6, 6-2, (12-10).
Bopanna had previously reached the men's doubles final at the US Open in 2010 with Aisam Qureshi.
Reflecting on his journey, Bopanna stated, "As an athlete, when you start playing tennis, you want to win a Grand Slam. Over the years, I have lost in the semi-finals in the Grand Slams. But it's not a question of whether I got it now or whether I got it earlier. Right now, I am probably playing my best tennis, and I have matured over the years in how to play the game and handle different situations better."
