French Open: Previous Winners, Prize Money, History - All You Need To Know About Roland Garros

The French Open, also known as Roland Garros, is a testament to the journey of the Tennis players rising from humble beginnings to shining brightly like the pole stars. From Rafael Nadal to Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic, all have experienced the brilliance of lifting the trophy on the clay courts in the western city of Paris. As the annual Grand Slam event approaches, tennis stars from each corner of the world unite under the Parisian sky. French Open 2024 is kicking off on May 20, Monday. (More Tennis News)

Roland Garros is one of the four major events of the ATP and WTA tours, other three are held in Australia, US, and Wimbledon. Interestingly, it is the sole major tennis tournament that is played on clay courts. This year marks the 128th edition of the French Grand Slam.

The Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal holds the record for most titles in men's singles at Roland Garros, with an impressive 14 trophies under his belt. However, unfortunately, 2024 might be the last time for the 22-time grand slam winner to appear on this iconic clay court, where he has dominated and defined an entire era of tennis.

Iga Swiatek is the defending champion of the French Open in women's singles tournament while Novak Djokovic will defend his title in men's singles.

Brief History Of Roland Garros (French Open)

The history of the Roland Garros traces back to the year 1891 when the French Clay Court Championships were established in Paris for players from the French Clubs only. Two venues were created for the tennis tournament - Stade Francais, the Parc de Saint-Cloud, and the Racing Club de France’s Croix-Catelan.

Initially, the championships were exclusively for men, only after 6 years in 1897 the first women's championship took place. Since then with the exception of World War 1, the tournament has been held annually, not even the World War 2 stopped it.

In response to the growing global interest towards the Roland Garros, they began inviting players from around the world in 1925, marking its evolution into a Grand Slam event.

Among the most renowned male players in the tournament's history is Henri Cochet with four titles to his name, Max Decugis with 8, and Rafael Nadal with the record for most, 14 titles. In the women's category, the notable names include Chris Evert, who clinched 7 titles in the Open Era, and Suzanne Langlen who had 7 titles during the amateur era.

Past Winners of Roland Garros (French Open)

Men's Singles Past Winners of Roland Garros (French Open):

1892 – Jean Schopfer

1893 – Laurent Riboulet

1894 – Andre Vacherot

1895 – Andre Vacherot

1896 – Andre Vacherot

1897 – Paul Ayme

1898 – Paul Ayme

1899 – Paul Ayme

1900 – Paul Ayme

1901 – Andre Vacherot

1902 – Marcel Vacherot

1903 – Max Decugis

1904 – Max Decugis

1905 – Maurice Germot

1906 – Maurice Germot

1907 – Max Decugis

1908 – Max Decugis

1909 – Max Decugis

1910 – Maurice Germot

1911 – Andre Gobert

1912 – Max Decugis

1913 – Max Decugis

1914 – Max Decugis

1920 – Andre Gobert

1921 – Jean Samazeuilh

1922 – Henri Cochet

1923 – Francois Blanchy

1924 – Jean Borotra

1925 – Rene Lacoste

1926 – Henri Cochet

1927 – Rene Lacoste

1928 – Henri Cochet

1929 – Rene Lacoste

1930 – Henri Cochet

1931 – Jean Borotra

1932 – Henri Cochet

1933 – Jack Crawford

1934 – Gottfried von Cramm

1935 – Fred Perry

1936 – Gottfried von Cramm

1937 – Henner Henkel

1938 – Don Budge

1939 – Don McNeill

1941 – Bernard Destremau

1942 – Bernard Destremau

1943 – Yvon Petra

1944 – Yvon Petra

1945 – Yvon Petra

1946 – Marcel Bernard

1947 – Jozsef Asboth

1948 – Frank Parker

1949 – Frank Parker

1950 – Budge Patty

1951 – Jaroslav Drobny

1952 – Jaroslav Drobny

1953 – Ken Rosewall

1954 – Tony Trabert

1955 – Tony Trabert

1956 – Lew Hoad

1957 – Sven Davidson

1958 – Mervyn Rose

1959 – Nicola Pietrangeli

1960 – Nicola Pietrangeli

1961 – Manuel Santana

1962 – Rod Laver

1963 – Roy Emerson

1964 – Manuel Santana

1965 – Fred Stolle

1966 – Tony Roche

1966 – Roy Emerson

1968 – Ken Rosewall

1969 – Rod Laver

1970 – Jan Kodes

1971 – Jan Kodes

1972 – Andres Gimeno

1973 – Ilie Nastase

1974 – Bjorn Borg

1975 – Bjorn Borg

1976 – Adriano Panatta

1977 – Guillermo Vilas

1978 – Bjorn Borg

1979 – Bjorn Borg

1980 – Bjorn Borg

1981 – Bjorn Borg

1982 – Mats Wilander

1983 – Yannick Noah

1984 – Ivan Lendl

1985 – Mats Wilander

1986 – Ivan Lendl

1987 – Ivan Lendl

1988 – Mats Wilander

1989 – Michael Chang

1990 – Andres Gomez

1991 – Jim Courier

1992 – Jim Courier

1993 – Sergi Bruguera

1994 – Sergi Bruguera

1995 – Thomas Muster

1996 – Yevgeny Kafelnikov

1997 – Gustavo Kuerten

1998 – Carlos Moya

1999 – Andre Agassi

2000 – Gustavo Kuerten

2001 – Gustavo Kuerten

2002 – Albert Costa

2003 – Juan Carlos Ferrero

2004 – Gaston Gaudio

2005 – Rafael Nadal

2006 – Rafael Nadal

2007 – Rafael Nadal

2008 – Rafael Nadal

2009 – Roger Federer

2010 – Rafael Nadal

2011 – Rafael Nadal

2012 – Rafael Nadal

2013 – Rafael Nadal

2014 – Rafael Nadal

2015 – Stan Wawrinka

2016 – Novak Djokovic

2017 – Rafael Nadal

2018 – Rafael Nadal

2019 – Rafael Nadal

2020 – Rafael Nadal

2021 – Novak Djokovic

2022 – Rafael Nadal

2023 – Novak Djokovic

Women's Singles Past Winners of Roland Garros (French Open):

1897 – Adine Masson

1898 – Adine Masson

1899 – Adine Masson

1900 – Yvonne Prevost

1901 – Suzanne Girod

1902 – Adine Masson

1903 – Adine Masson

1904 – Kate Gillou

1905 – Kate Gillou

1906 – Kate Gillou-Fenwick

1907 – Comtesse de Kermel

1908 – Kate Gillou-Fenwick

1909 – Jeanne Matthey

1910 – Jeanne Matthey

1911 – Jeanne Matthey

1912 – Jeanne Matthey

1913 – Marguerite Broquedis

1914 – Marguerite Broquedis

1920 – Suzanne Lenglen

1921 – Suzanne Lenglen

1922 – Suzanne Lenglen

1923 – Suzanne Lenglen

1924 – Julie Vlasto

1925 – Suzanne Lenglen

1926 – Suzanne Lenglen

1927 – Kea Bouman

1928 – Helen Wills Moody

1929 – Helen Wills Moody

1930 – Helen Wills Moody

1931 – Cilly Aussem

1932 – Helen Wills Moody

1933 – Margaret Scriven Vivian

1934 – Margaret Scriven Vivian

1935 – Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling

1936 – Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling

1937 – Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling

1938 – Simonne Mathieu

1939 – Simonne Mathieu

1941 – Alice Weiwers

1942 – Alice Weiwers

1943 – Simone Iribarne Lafargue

1944 – Raymonde Jones Veber

1945 – Lolette Payot

1946 – Margaret Osborne duPont

1947 – Patricia Canning Todd

1948 – Nelly Adamson Landry

1949 – Margaret Osborne duPont

1950 – Doris Hart

1951 – Shirley Fry

1952 – Doris Hart

1953 – Maureen Connolly

1954 – Maureen Connolly

1955 – Angela Mortimer

1956 – Althea Gibson

1957- Shirley Bloomer

1958 – Zsuzsa Kormoczy

1959 – Christine Truman – Zsuzsa Kormoczy

1960 – Darlene Hard

1961 – Ann Haydon

1962 – Margaret Court

1963 – Lesley Turner

1964 – Margaret Court

1965 – Lesley Turner

1966 – Ann Haydon Jones

1967 – Francoise Durr

1968 – Nancy Richey

1969 – Margaret Court

1970 – Margaret Court

1971 – Evonne Goolagong

1972 – Billie Jean King

1973 – Margaret Court

1974 – Chris Evert

1975 – Chris Evert

1976 – Sue Barker

1977 – Mima Jausovec

1978 – Virginia Ruzici

1979 – Chris Evert

1980 – Chris Evert

1981 – Hana Mandlikova

1982 – Martina Navratilova

1983 – Chris Evert

1984 – Martina Navratilova

1985 – Chris Evert

1986 – Chris Evert

1987 – Steffi Graf

1988 – Steffi Graf

1989 – Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

1990 – Monica Seles

1991 – Monica Seles

1992 – Monica Seles

1993 – Steffi Graf

1994 – Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

1995 – Steffi Graf

1996 – Steffi Graf

1997 – Iva Majoli

1998 – Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

1999 – Steffi Graf

2000 – Mary Pierce

2001 – Jennifer Capriati

2002 – Serena Williams

2003 – Justine Henin

2004 – Anastasia Myskina

2005 – Justine Henin

2006 – Justine Henin

2007 – Justine Henin

2008 – Ana Ivanovic

2009 – Svetlana Kuznetsova

2010 – Francesca Schiavone

2011- Li Na

2012 – Maria Sharapova

2013 – Serena Williams

2014 – Maria Sharapova

2015 – Serena Williams

2016 – Garbine Muguruza

2017 – Jeļena Ostapenko

2018 – Simona Halep

2019 – Ashleigh Barty

2020 – Iga Swiatek

2021 – Barbora Krejcukova

2022 – Iga Swiatek

2023 – Iga Swiatek

Prize Money of Roland Garros (French Open)

The 2024 French Open prize money has been revealed to be €53.5 million in total, with an increase of more than 7.8 percent compared to 2023. Below is how the money will be distributed among the winners and the participants:

Men's & Women's Singles Prize Money

Winner - €2,400,000

Finalist  - €1,200,000

Semi-finalist - €650,000

Quarter-finalist - €415,000

Round Four - €250,000

Round Three -  €158,000 

Round Two - €110,000

Round One - €73,000

Men's and Women's Doubles Prize Money:

Winner - €590,000 

Finalist  - €295,000 

Semi-finalist - €148,000

Quarter-finalist - €80,000

Round Three -  €43,500 

Round Two - €27,500

Round One - €17,500