World Sport News

The Lowdown On Roland-Garros

The French Open takes place between 28 May and 11 June 2006.
The French Open is nothing less than the globe's greatest clay court tournament. Read on for all the ins and outs on this essential event.

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.

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, one which alters the ball's bounce and the player's approach to the match vis-à-vis grass courts. As such, over the years, clay court specialists have evolved who often succeed here whilst higher ranked players may struggle like the great champion Pete Sampras and current World No. 1 Roger Federer who won every other Grand Slam several times but never the French Open. As of 2006, the last six, 8 of the last 9, 11 of the last 13, and 13 of the last 17 French Open men's singles championships were won by men who did not win any other Grand Slam tournament. 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 that a 16-year old Martina Hingis failed to win.

WHAT 'S NEW IN 2006 ?

- The 2006 French Open to start on Sunday

- the winners of the men's and women's singles at the French Open will receive the same amount in prize money

Christian Bîmes, chairman of the French Tennis Federation, has announced that as of 2006 the winners of the men's and women's singles at the French Open will receive the same amount in prize money. The amount of prize money paid out in 2006 will also be more than ever before.

By way of a reminder, the French Open winnings have increased overall by 73% over the last ten years and by 86% for the women's singles alone. "This decision for parity between the singles' winners shows the FFT's commitment to playing a leading role in the development of women's sport in Europe, Christian Bîmes underlined.

Furthermore, the federation chairman announced that the FFT was going ahead with its idea of starting the French Open on a Sunday: "We want to take advantage of the exceptional promotional platform offered by launching the broadcast of one of tennis's biggest events on a Sunday, when the public are more available.

This plan has been discussed at length with the ATP and WTA, as well as with the Grand Slam committee, during 2005. The common consensus is that it represents the right way forward for the promotion of tennis around the world. As a result, I can tell you that the French Open will commence on Sunday 28th May and conclude on Sunday 11 June 2006."

Twelve matches will be scheduled for this opening Sunday, on the stadium's three main courts (Philippe-Chatrier, Suzanne-Lenglen and No. 1). The other courts will be reserved for training. The first round of the singles will be completed over three days, with the first half of the draw playing on the Sunday and Monday and the rest on the Monday and Tuesday.

In order to respect the tournament calendar and to allow sufficient recovery time, players involved in an event on the Friday and Saturday of the previous week will not be scheduled to play before the Monday.

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