French Open 2024: Why is it called Roland Garros? The legend behind the name

Joshua Thomas

French Open 2024: Why is it called Roland Garros? The legend behind the name  image

The French Open and Roland-Garros go hand in hand. 

The venue for the only clay-court grand slam is steeped in history having hosted the tournament since 1928. 

Roland-Garros has played host to some epic matches over the years and has a unique origin story that is often overlooked. 

MORE: French Open 2023 schedule: Draw bracket, seedings and results for men's and women's singles

Why is it called Roland Garros?

Opened in 1928, Roland-Garros was built to preserve France's tennis success with the country having won the Davis Cup the year prior. 

Emile Lesueur, president of the Stade Francais at the time, requested the venue be named after his heroic former classmate Roland Garros, who had died during World War I in 1918. 

Lesueur's request was ultimately granted and the venue has been known as Roland-Garros ever since. 

French spelling notably requires places or events named after a person to be hypenated. 

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Who was Roland Garros? 

Despite forever being linked to a grand slam event, Garros had little tennis experience and instead played rugby and football as a child. 

At the age of 21, the Frenchman fell in love with planes and just four years later in 1913 performed what's believed to have been the world’s first flight across the Mediterranean

During World War I, Garros put his obsession with planes to use and found a revolutionary way to equip a machine gun to them. 

Garros enjoyed early success as a fighter pilot before being taken prisoner in 1915.

He would take three years to escape and despite being in poor health, opted to return to fighting nearly straight away.

A decision that was not too surprising considering he had the quote, 'Victory belongs to the most persevering', inscribed on his planes' propellers. 

Garros subsequently died in battle on October 5, 1918 but left behind an enduring legacy of innovation and determination. 

Along with his French Open tribute, an airport on the French island of Réunion is also named after him. 

Who has won the most titles at Roland Garros?

Rafael Nadal has won a record 14 French Open titles with five of those wins coming consecutively. 

Chris Evert, meanwhile, has triumphed at Roland-Garros seven times, making her the most successful women's singles player at the tournament.  

Men's singles winners in the Open era

YearWinner
2023Novak Djokovic
2022Rafael Nadal
2021Novak Djokovic
2020Rafael Nadal
2019Rafael Nadal
2018Rafael Nadal
2017Rafael Nadal
2016Novak Djokovic
2015Stan Wawrinka
2014Rafeal Nadal
2013Rafael Nadal
2012Rafael Nadal
2011Rafael Nadal
2010Rafael Nadal
2009Roger Federer
2008Rafael Nadal
2007Rafael Nadal
2006Rafael Nadal
2005Rafael Nadal
2004Gaston Gaudio
2003Juan Carlos Ferrero
2002Albert Costa
2001Gustavo Kuerten
2000Gustavo Kuerten
1999Andre Agassi
1998Carlos Moya
1997Gustavo Kuerten
1996Yevgeny Kafelnikov
1995Thomas Muster
1994Sergi Bruguera
1993Sergi Bruguera
1992Jim Courier
1991Jim Courier
1990Andres Gomez
1989Michael Chang
1988Mats Wilander
1987Ivan Lendl
1986Ivan Lendl
1985Mats Wilander
1984Ivan Lendl
1983Yannick Noah
1982Mats Wilander
1981Bjorn Borg
1980Bjorn Borg
1979Bjorn Borg
1978Bjorn Borg
1977Guillermo Vilas
1976Adriano Panatta
1975Bjorn Borg
1974Bjorn Borg
1973IIie Nastase
1972Andres Gimeno
1971Jan Kodes
1970Jan Kodes
1969Rod Laver
1968Ken Rosewall

Women's singles winners in the Open era

YearWinner
2023Iga Swiatek
2022Iga Swiatek
2021Barbora Krejcikova
2020Iga Swiatek
2019Ashleigh Barty
2018Simona Halep
2017Jelena Ostapenko
2016Garbine Muguruza
2015Serena Williams
2014Maria Sharapova
2013Serena Williams
2012Maria Sharapova
2011Li Na
2010Fransesca Schiavone
2009Svetlana Kuznetsova
2008Ana Ivanovic
2007Justine Henin
2006Justine Henin
2005Justine Henin
2004Anastasia Myskina
2003Justine Henin
2002Serena Williams
2001Jennifer Capriati
2000Mary Pierce
1999Steffi Graf
1998Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
1997Iva Majoli
1996Steffi Graf
1995Steffi Graf
1994Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
1993Steffi Graf
1992Monica Seles
1991Monica Seles
1990Monica Seles
1989Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
1988Steffi Graf
1987Steffi Graf
1986Chris Evert
1985Chris Evert
1984Martina Navratilova 
1983Chris Evert
1982Martina Navratilova
1981Hana Mandlikova
1980Chris Evert
1979Chris Evert
1978Virginia Ruzici
1977Mima Jausovec
1976Sue Barker
1975Chris Evert
1974Chris Evert 
1973Margaret Court
1972Billie Jean King
1971Evonne Goolagong
1970Margaret Court
1969Margaret Court
1968Nancy Richey

Joshua Thomas

Joshua Thomas Photo

Josh has been covering sport for nearly a decade now having fallen in love with football at a young age. A UTS graduate, Josh has previously worked for GOAL and now covers football closely for The Sporting News.