The following is the first entry of GEM Tennis’ special series “The Countdown to Roland Garros.” We hope you enjoy this very informative series as much as you’ll enjoy the tennis. First up, the history of the Stadium:

Roland Garros- Its History and Beginnings

As we look forward to the start of one of history’s most exciting sporting events – the French Open- it seems the perfect time to also look back upon the beginnings of its magnificent and stately venue- Roland Garros stadium.

So beloved is this beautiful Parisian stadium that the Roland Garros name is now used interchangeably with the annual event to which it plays host.   The origins of this historic venue are as steeped in national pride and passion as are the people of its native land.  Rightfully so, as the roots of this Parisian landmark mark a time when both were at their zenith.

The very first French Tennis Championships were held back in 1891 on the hard-packed clay courts of the Racing Club de France and were initially exclusive to French players only.  (Amazingly it was a British player and Parisian resident, H.Briggs, who won the first championship- his membership in a French club allowed this ironic exception!)  Perhaps as a result of the restrictive nature of the tournament, its growth was slow and often subject to various influences.  When the event was opened to women in 1897, it enjoyed a welcome gain in popularity, and by 1900, the French Championships had grown to be the largest tournament in France.  Little more than a decade later, however, it suffered a serious set-back when it found itself in direct competition with the Paris-held Clay Court Tennis World Championships.  This thorn-in-the-side of the French Championships lasted until 1923, when the demise of the Clay Court World Championships provided some welcome breathing room for the incumbent French tournament.

In 1925, thirty-four years after its founding, the decision was made by the French Tennis Federation to open the French “Championnat de Tennis” to international players, and the event began to regain its former dominance.   In keeping with this decision, the tournament also assumed a new title.  Now known as the French Internationals, the popular event was alternately staged at two established Parisian tennis facilities – Stade Francais and the Racing Club de France.  Some of the day’s most talented players, including Suzanne Lenglen and Bill Tilden, dominated the competition on these courts.

The thirty-five years between 1891 and 1926 proved to be the gestational years of Roland Garros, but it took four talented and celebrated Frenchmen to give birth to the stadium and tournament as we know it today.  For years, this quad of tennis talent – Rene “Alligator” Lacoste, Henri Cochet, Jacques “Toto” Brugnon, and Jean Borotra- had fought to gain the coveted and prestigious Davis Cup trophy.   In September 1927, on their fourth attempt and on the courts of Philadelphia’s Germantown club, the “Four Musketeers” shocked the tennis world by snagging the Davis Cup title from the Americans’ hands.

The trophy was given a hero’s welcome, as were its victors, as they returned to their proud homeland.   The dust had hardly settled on the clay courts when the rematch between the Americans and the French Musketeers was slated for the following July – this time on France’s home courts.   The dilemma they faced was that those very home courts were unsuitable and inadequate to host the many thousands of spectators anticipated for this exciting Challenge Round.   A stadium equal in stature to this momentous sporting occasion would be required.

Led by Emile Lesieur and Pierre Gillou- Presidents of the Stade Francais and the Racing Club de France respectively, and with the help of funding from the city of Paris, plans for the building of a new tennis facility kicked into high gear.  Three hectares of land (nearly 7 ½ acres) were handed over to the  French Tennis Federation by Stade Francais, with one attached condition: the new stadium would be named after one of Stade Francais’ most admired former club members, Roland Garros.

This French aviator was a celebrated war hero during World War I, and set many flying records, including his notable achievement of being the first to fly an airplane over the Mediterranean.  He was also an avid tennis fan and enjoyed playing on the courts of Paris as a young adult, while completing his studies in the city.  In naming their newly constructed stadium after this daring young veteran, the city of Paris paid him a respected and lasting tribute.

Nine months after the “Four Musketeers” returned home from Philadelphia with the Davis Cup trophy in hand, their American rivals arrived in Paris to help them celebrate the opening ceremonies for the new Stade de Roland Garros.  The beautiful and ample Art-Deco facility captivated the attentions of the sports world, setting the stage for what is now-considered to be the home of Clay Court tennis.

With the exception of a five-year hiatus during World War II, Roland Garros has since enjoyed an illustrious history as one of the world’s premier tennis arenas.  As host to the French Open –billed as the most challenging of the four Grand Slam events- Roland Garros has witnessed a long succession of tennis champions and the unforgettable display of some of tennis’ greatest moments.

Standing proudly against the backdrop of the City of Lights, the Stade de Roland Garros is a legend which promises to shine bright over the finest of tennis players and generations of tennis fans to come.

- Alyce Vilines, GEM Tennis