Roland-Garros is one of the 4 major tournaments, along with Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open. It’s a big preparation, qualifications and 2 tough weeks of tournament.
The 800 matches played each year are played on clay made of limestone, clinker, pebbles and crushed bricks. You have to hit and shout louder than elsewhere. Matches are more tiring. But where does this name “Roland Garros” come from?
But who is Roland-Garros?
Roland Garros was born in 1888 on the island of the Indian Ocean (Réunion) and grew up there until adolescence, he decided very young to leave the meeting for the metropolis in France. Roland Garros is a graduate of the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales de Paris. On the school’s benches, he meets his friend Emile Lesieur. After obtaining his diploma, the Reunionese decided to open his business focused on the sale of automobiles, but after reading many of Jules Verne’s books, he develops a passion for flying and starts collecting airplanes and attending air shows. In 1913 at the age of 25 Roland Garros is considered the best pilot in the world, he has indeed several flight records to his credit and becomes the first man in history to cross the Mediterranean by plane, he leaves Fréjus to join 780 kilometers further Bizerte Tunisian city. This feat made him a pilot known. The First World War broke out, Roland, who was born overseas France has no military obligations, however he decides to put his talent at the service of France where he will lead several aerial combats. In April 1915 Roland Garros was captured by the Germans and imprisoned, after two years of captivity the pilot escaped and joined France. George Clemenceau (chairman of the board) then offered him to become an adviser to the general staff, a position he refused to join the air combat front against the German enemy. He then joined the famous stork squadron, a squad of pilots the strongest and crazier than the others the gratin of the French aviation which is found in the SPAD planes decorated with storks. Unfortunately, Roland Garros died aboard one of these planes on October 5, 1918, a month before the armistice.t
The Roland Garros Tournament (The French Open Tennis Tournament)
Ten years later it is in a much happier context that the name of Roland Garros reappears.
« Les Mousquetaires » have just won the Davis Cup in Philadelphia in 1927. The four tennis players Jacques Brugnon, Jean Borotra, Henri Cochet and René Lacoste beat the United States and must then host the competition in France in 1928. So it was the opportunity to build a prestigious stadium to receive the Americans in excellent conditions. The stadium was created by d’Auteuil on the grounds of the French sports club’s stadium.
Emile Lesieur, former friend of Roland Garros who was at the time president of the athletics section of the French Stadium, imposes the name of his friend Roland Garros on the stadium.
So from 1928 we talk about the Roland Garros tournament and the Roland Garros stadium, but the existing tournament thirty years ago.
France championship
The first Roland Garros tournament was held in 1891, when the pilot was only three years old, at that time it was called “French championship”, it took place on clay court for six years. The tournament was then organized by two clubs, the “Stade Français” and the “Racing Club de France”, both of whom are well-known today for their rugby accomplishments. From 1897 women participate in the championship, at the beginning the tournament is not famous among women, Adine Moss will win two editions without even playing since she was the only participant among women. In men only three to four participants compete during the first years. Until 1925 the tournament will be 100% French, but from this year onwards the tournament is open to foreigners and its name has changed to “International of France”. This name is still relevant even though the Roland Garros tournament is the popular name./
Some Roland Garros tournament players
The tournament hosts the best tennis players on the planet.
- French Suzanne Lenglen dominated the tournament and became one of the first tennis stars, she won the tournament six times between 1920 and 1926, except in 1926, she also won the tournament six times in doubles and seven times in mixed doubles. She was nicknamed the divine, she won 6 times Wimbledon in singles and doubles and three times in mixed, she is also Olympic champion in singles and mixed in Antwerp in 1920, Suzanne Lenglen dominated tennis in the 1920s, winning 241 titles and a series of 181 victories. A tennis court named after him.
- The first tennis stars for men are « Les mousquetaires», the best known of course René Lacoste, the creator of the Lacoste brand. But before becoming an designer and industrialist, he was an excellent tennis player, winner of Roland Garros three times, twice Wimbledon and twice the US Open, he won the Davis Cup twice with the Musketeers. Henri Cochet has won Roland Garros five times and the Davis Cup six times.
After the war, English- and German-speaking players dominate the men’s and women’s tennis at Roland Garros. Helen Wills, an American, won four editions between 1927 and 1937. From 1938 and 1939 the French Simone. Since 2010, the third-largest court at the Roland Garros complex has been renamed Simonne Mathieu in her honor.
