Head to Porte d'Auteuil, in Paris’s 16th arrondissement. At the gateway to the City of Light, this quiet, bucolic district undergoes a metamorphosis every year: with the first rays of spring sunshine, the sound of the world's finest rackets resounds ... It’s the arrival of the legendary Roland-Garros tournament, one of the four biggest professional tennis events in the world!
History
In 1927, 4 French players, Jacques "Toto" Brugnon, Jean Borotra, Henri Cochet and René Lacoste, achieved the feat of winning the Davis Cup on American soil. Immediate fame for those who became known as the "Musketeers", in honour of Alexandre Dumas' famous novel. And to honour their exploits, the French Tennis Federation didn't beat about the bush: it decided to build a sports arena worthy of its new heroes.
Roland Garros, the aviator...
The Stade Français, the club which until then had organized the French internationals, offered to cede a site to the French Tennis Federation.
The only condition was that the 3-hectare site be named after Roland-Garros, club-member and aviation pioneer who made the first successful crossing of the Mediterranean in 1913. The promise was kept. From 1928 onwards, the French Open moved to the Roland-Garros stadium and became the Internationaux de France de Roland-Garros.
Inspired by the venue, the Musketeers retained the Davis Cup that year, which they had fought so hard to win against their all-time bête noire: the Americans. Cochet won the singles against his friend Lacoste.
The golden age of tennis
The golden age of tennis and clay courts began in the footsteps of history. The ochre clay became the symbol of the victories of the world's tennis stars.
The Swede Björn Borg, the German Steffi Graf, the Czech Ivan Lendl... Or the Swede Mats Wilander, who in 1983 surrendered his title to the Frenchman Yannick Noah, the last Frenchman to add his name to the list of winners.
Over the years, the Paris tournament has gone from strength to strength on the French and international scene and is now the biggest clay court event in the world. It's also the toughest.
Its stars, such as Raphaël Nadal, are the 'marathon runners' of professional tennis because the playing conditions are so tough: a slow surface, long rallies and matches - sometimes interminable - played in 5 sets for the men and 3 for the women.
At the crossroads of fashion and the jet set
Paris, the capital of fashion, also finds its extension at the Porte d'Auteuil during the French Open fortnight. In the corridors of the stadium, the Parisian - and international - jet set rub shoulders and feed the tabloids.
Fashion also has its place. The most prestigious brands turn the event into a showcase for the French way of life.
Roland-Garros: modernization
Despite the undeniable success of this sporting event, the Porte d'Auteuil complex had become too small. Since 2019, new facilities have been built, such as the majestic Simonne-Matthieu Court, located in the southern part of the Jardin des Serres. This human-sized venue can accommodate 5,290 spectators in clear stands with light-coloured wooden seats.
In the Jardin des Mousquetaires, next to the Phillippe Chatrier court, new sculptures will be unveiled in 2021 to pay tribute to the stars who have made the history of the stadium and the tournament.
Statues of Rafael Nadal, 13-time winner of the tournament, the aviator Roland Garros (who gave the stadium its name) and the Four Musketeers (who built the stadium in the first place), Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet and René Lacoste, will now take their place at the heart of the Roland Garros stadium.
Last year, a new entrance and two new courts were inaugurated. Porte n°1, accessible from the Avenue de la Porte d'Auteuil, and Courts n°6 and n°8, located between the Philippe-Chatrier and Suzanne-Lenglen Courts, will give visitors and players alike an even better Roland-Garros experience!
Roland Garros, a showcase for the Paris Games
The famous Roland Garros stadium wrote a new (and glorious) page in its history in 2024 when the tennis and boxing events of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games were staged there. This was an opportunity to reveal the modernization work that had been carried out.
Tips and recommendations
Looking for a stress-free way to reach your favorite tennis stadium? The simplest and most eco-friendly solution: choose public transportation or soft mobility options. They’re also the best ways to quickly access the Mandatory Checkpoints (PPO), the only entry points into this incredible arena. Enjoy the show!
By Rédaction France.fr
La rédaction de France.fr suit les tendances et l'actualité de la destination pour vous parler d'une France qui innove et revisite ses traditions. Des histoires et des talents qui donnent envie de (re)découvrir nos territoires.
