French Open History, Facts And Winners

• H. Briggs was the first French Championship winner who defeated P. Baigneres.
• 1897. Adine Masson became the first ladies' tournament champion when she defeated P. Girod 6-3 6-1.
• 1925. Suzanne Lenglen was the first Grand Slam title winner in the women's singles and René Lacoste in the men's singles.
• Max Decugis, a French player, won 8 titles before WWI.
• 1938. Don Budge is the only American to win 4 Grand Slams in one year.
• 1956. Althea Gibson is the first African-American to win a Grand Slam title.
• Chris Evert holds the most French Open championship titles in the women's singles.

• 1970. Australia's Margaret Court became the first woman to win all four Grand Slam titles in one year.
• 1972. Andres Gimeno from Spain became the oldest French Open champion at 34 years old.
• 1988. Steffi Graf won all 4 Gland Slam titles and the gold medal in tennis at the Summer Olympics.
• 1989. At age 17, Michael Chang became the youngest male player in the Open Era to win the Roland Garros.
• 1990. At age 16, Yugoslavia's Monica Seles won her first Grand Slam tennis tournament. She also won the next two consecutive years.
• 2000. Mary Pierce was the last French national to win the Roland Garros.

Rafael Nadal has only lost three times in his 108 matches in over 16 years in the French Open. He holds 13 Roland Garros titles.