French Open 2023: Who are the past singles winners at Roland Garros?

Kieran Francis

French Open 2023: Who are the past singles winners at Roland Garros? image

The French Open at Roland-Garros is a much-coveted grand slam with it being the only major played on clay.

It is a vastly different surface to hardcourts and grass, allowing specialists on the dirt an advantage during the second slam of the season.

Rafael Nadal, who will be absent this year, is the undisputed French Open king with his extraordinary record at the tournament, but who else has lifted the Musketeers' cup (men's champion) and the Suzanne-Lenglen cup (women's champion)?

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Who are the past men's singles French Open winners? Full list of every champion in the Open era

Nadal's 14 French Open titles is a record that might never be broken with the Spaniard only losing three times at Roland-Garros during his career.

However, Nadal won't get the chance to lift the trophy again in 2023 after being ruled out with injury.

Prior to Nadal's reign, Swedish legend Bjorn Borg was the most successful player having won the tournament six times in the space of eight years. 

Spain have had the most men's singles success in the Open era with the title lifted 20 times by a Spaniard. 

Year Winner
2022 Rafael Nadal
2021 Novak Djokovic
2020 Rafael Nadal
2019 Rafael Nadal
2018 Rafael Nadal
2017 Rafael Nadal
2016 Novak Djokovic
2015 Stan Wawrinka
2014 Rafael Nadal
2013 Rafael Nadal
2012 Rafael Nadal
2011 Rafael Nadal
2010 Rafael Nadal
2009 Roger Federer
2008 Rafael Nadal
2007 Rafael Nadal
2006 Rafael Nadal
2005 Rafael Nadal
2004 Gaston Gaudio
2003 Juan Carlos Ferrero
2002 Albert Costa
2001 Gustavo Kuerten
2000 Gustavo Kuerten
1999 Andre Agassi
1998 Carlos Moya
1997 Gustavo Kuerten
1996 Yevgeny Kafelnikov
1995 Thomas Muster
1994 Sergi Bruguera
1993 Sergi Bruguera
1992 Jim Courier
1991 Jim Courier
1990 Andres Gomez
1989 Michael Chang
1988 Mats Wilander
1987 Ivan Lendl
1986 Ivan Lendl
1985 Mats Wilander
1984 Ivan Lendl
1983 Yannick Noah
1982 Mats Wilander
1981 Bjorn Borg
1980 Bjorn Borg
1979 Bjorn Borg
1978 Bjorn Borg
1977 Guillermo Vilas
1976 Adriano Panatta
1975 Bjorn Borg
1974 Bjorn Borg
1973 IIie Nastase
1972 Andres Gimeno
1971 Jan Kodes
1970 Jan Kodes
1969 Rod Laver
1968 Ken Rosewall

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Who are the past women's singles French Open winners? Full list of every champion in the Open era

Current world number one Iga Swiatek is the defending women's singles French Open champion — lifting her second title at Roland-Garros in convincing fashion.

American Chris Evert is the most successful woman at the tournament with seven titles to her name.

Americans have historically dominated the event and seen a champion crowned 15 times — 10 more than next best Australia.

Year Winner
2022 Iga Swiatek
2021 Barbora Krejcikova
2020 Iga Swiatek
2019 Ashleigh Barty
2018 Simona Halep
2017 Jelena Ostapenko
2016 Garbine Muguruza
2015 Serena Williams
2014 Maria Sharapova
2013 Serena Williams
2012 Maria Sharapova
2011 Li Na
2010 Fransesca Schiavone
2009 Svetlana Kuznetsova
2008 Ana Ivanovic
2007 Justine Henin
2006 Justine Henin
2005 Justine Henin
2004 Anastasia Myskina
2003 Justine Henin
2002 Serena Williams
2001 Jennifer Capriati
2000 Mary Pierce
1999 Steffi Graf
1998 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
1997 Iva Majoli
1996 Steffi Graf
1995 Steffi Graf
1994 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
1993 Steffi Graf
1992 Monica Seles
1991 Monica Seles
1990 Monica Seles
1989 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
1988 Steffi Graf
1987 Steffi Graf
1986 Chris Evert
1985 Chris Evert
1984 Martina Navratilova 
1983 Chris Evert
1982 Martina Navratilova
1981 Hana Mandlikova
1980 Chris Evert
1979 Chris Evert
1978 Virginia Ruzici
1977 Mima Jausovec
1976 Sue Barker
1975 Chris Evert
1974 Chris Evert 
1973 Margaret Court
1972 Billie Jean King
1971 Evonne Goolagong
1970 Margaret Court
1969 Margaret Court
1968 Nancy Richey

Who are the youngest and oldest French Open winners? 

Monica Seles is the youngest player to win the French Open when she did so at the age of 16 years and six months in 1990. 

The teenager beat Steffi Graf in straight sets and would go on to win the next two tournaments at Roland-Garros. 

Not surprisingly, Nadal is the oldest French Open champion with his 2022 victory at the event coming at 36 years of age.

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.