Congratulations to the winners of the 2010 French Open, Rafael Nadal, men’s singles champion and Francesca Schiavone, women’s singles champion!
The French Open is held every year in Paris, France at the Philippe-Chatrier Court in Roland-Garros Tennis Center. It lasts two weeks, beginning mid-May and running until early June. The 2010 event begins on May 23rd and runs through June 6th. The French Open is one of the most prestigious events in tennis, with total prize money of over 16 million euros. It is one of four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, which are the biggest tournaments in tennis. Players will spend their whole career trying to win all four of these events. The French Open is often the most elusive for players, as it is the only competition of the four Grand Slam events played on clay courts. Tickets can be hard to find, and though Coast to Coast has a great selection, they won't last long. Get your tickets now to the 2010 French Open!
The original French Open was held in 1891 and was only a national event. This tournament was held in Paris and was only a men's singles tournament. Six years later women's singles were added. However, it was only for members of French tennis clubs. It was not until 1925 that the tournament was opened to foreign players. It was called the French Internationals and was held alternately between the Stade Francais and the Racing Club de France in Paris, until the Roland-Garros stadium was built in 1928.
In 1968, the French Internationals officially became the French Open, joining the ranks of the Grand Slam tennis tournaments. It also added men's and women's doubles to the events. Officially switching to 'open' allowed both amateurs and professionals to compete in the tournament. This was the first Grand Slam to do so.
The main court at Roland-Garros is the Phillippe Chatrier Center Court with over 15,000 tickets available. It is named for a former president of the French Tennis Federation. The second Center Court was built in 1980 to meet the increased demand for tickets. This court holds an audience of 3,518 people. A third main court was built in 1994 with over 10,000 tickets available. It is named the Suzanne Lenglen Court, after a famous French tennis player.
The French Open has many famous tennis players compete at this event every year. Past winners of the French Open include Ivan Lendl, Mats Wilander, Gustavo Kuerten, Chris Evert, Bjorn Borg, Martina Navratilova, Michael Chang, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Jennifer Capriati, and Serena Williams. Each with 7 championships, Chris Evert holds the record for most singles titles, and Martina Navratilova holds the record for most doubles titles.
People from all over the world come to see these players compete at Roland-Garros. Some of the best tennis competitions are seen at the French Open. It is not unusual for a little-known player to end up winning the competition, due to its difficult clay surface. However, winning this prestigious event is a momentous event for any player.
