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French Open (tennis)

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Sports events

                                       Logo of Roland Garros (tournament)
                                                   Grand Slams
                                                         * Australian Open
                                                         * French Open
                                                         * Wimbledon
                                                         * U.S. Open

   The French Open, officially the Tournoi de Roland-Garros (English:
   Roland Garros Tournament), is a tennis event held over two weeks
   between mid May and early June in Paris, France, and is the second of
   the Grand Slam tournaments on the annual tennis calendar. It is the
   premier clay court tennis tournament in the world. The French Open is
   currently sponsored by the French bank, BNP Paribas.

   The French Open began as a national tournament in 1891. In 1925, the
   French Championships opened itself to international competitors with
   the event held on a grass surface alternatively between the Racing Club
   de France and the Stade Français. For the 1928 Davis Cup challenge, a
   new tennis stadium was built at Porte d’Auteuil. Named for a hero of
   World War I, the new Stade Roland Garros, and Court Philippe Chatrier,
   was built with a red clay ( terre battue) playing surface.

   Clay courts slow the ball down and produce a high bounce when compared
   to grass courts or hard courts. As such, over the years, clay court
   specialists have evolved who often succeed here whilst higher ranked
   players may struggle. Fourteen-time major-champion Pete Sampras and
   current World No. 1 Roger Federer have won every other Grand Slam
   tournament several times, but never the French Open. As of 2006, the
   last six French Open men's singles championships were won by men who
   did not win any other Grand Slam tournament, as were the last 8 of 9,
   11 of 13, and 13 of 17. On the female side of tennis, the French Open
   is the title that has prevented players such as Lindsay Davenport from
   achieving a career Grand Slam and in 1997, it was the only Grand Slam
   tournament that a then 16-year old Martina Hingis failed to win.

   In 1968 the French championship became the first Grand Slam tournament
   to go "open", allowing both amateurs and professionals to compete. As
   of 2006, the French Open joined the US Open and the Australian Open as
   the only major tennis events to offer equal prize money to both the men
   and women singles winners.

Champions

     * Men's Singles
     * Women's Singles
     * Men's Doubles
     * Women's Doubles
     * Mixed Doubles

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Open_%28tennis%29"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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