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Roland Garros

Roland Garros (October 6, 1888 – October 5, 1918) was a French fighter pilot who is still erroneously called the world’s first fighter ace. (That honor went to another French airman, Adolphe Pegoud.)

Garros was already a noted aviator before the war. In 1913 he gained fame for making the first nonstop flight across the Mediterranean. The next year he joined the French army at the outbreak of World War I. After several missions he decided that shooting and flying at the same time was too difficult, so he fitted a machine gun to the front of his plane so the tasks became one and the same. In order to protect the propeller from the bullets, he fitted metal wedges to the prop. He soon shot down three German planes and quickly garnered an excellent reputation.

On April 18th, 1915, he was shot down and glided to a landing on the German side of the lines. After examining his plane Anthony Fokker designed an improved system known as the interrupter gear. Soon the tables were reversed with Fokker’s planes shooting down every plane they met, leading to what became known as the Fokker Scourge.

Garros managed to escape from Germany and joined the French army again. On October 5th, 1918, he was shot down again and killed near Vouziers.

In the 1920s, a tennis centre was named after the pilot, Stade de Roland Garros. The stadium accommodates the French Open, one of tennis’ Grand Slam tournaments. Held from the middle of May to the beginning of June in Paris, France, what is popularly and officially called Roland Garros, is the second of the world’s Grand Slam in tennis tournaments.

The tournament itself started on 1891 and has been held every year since.

The most unique characteristic of the French Open is the red clay surface, one which alters the ball’s bounce and the player’s approach to the match.

Winners :

Year held Singles Men Singles Women
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
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Gaston Gaudio
Juan Carlos Ferrero

Albert Costa
Gustavo Kuerten
Gustavo Kuerten
Andre Agassi
Carlos Moya
Gustavo Kuerten
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Thomas Muster
Sergi Bruguera
Sergi Bruguera
Jim Courier
Jim Courier
Andres Gomez
Michael Chang
Mats Wilander
Ivan Lendl
Ivan Lendl
Mats Wilander
Ivan Lendl
Yannick Noah
Mats Wilander
Björn Borg
Björn Borg
Björn Borg
Björn Borg
Guillermo Vilas
Adriano Panatta
Björn Borg
Björn Borg
Ilie Nastase
Andres Gimeno
Jan Kodes
Jan Kodes
Rod Laver
Ken Rosewall
Roy Emerson
Tony Roche
Fred Stolle
Manuel Santana
Roy Emerson
Rod Laver
Manuel Santana
Nicola Pietrangeli
Nicola Pietrangeli
Mervyn Rose
Sven Davidson
Lew Hoad
Tony Trabert
Tony Trabert
Ken Rosewall
Jaroslav Drobny
Jaroslav Drobny
Budge Patty
Frank Parker
Frank Parker
Joseph Asboth
Marcel Bernard
Yvon Petra
Yvon Petra
Yvon Petra
Bernard Destremau
Bernard Destremau
not held
Don McNeill
Don Budge
Henner Henkel
Gottfried von Cramm
Fred Perry
Gottfried von Cramm
John Crawford
Henri Cochet
Jean Borotra
Henri Cochet
Rene Lacoste
Henri Cochet
Rene Lacoste
Henri Cochet
Rene Lacoste
Anastasia Myskina
Justine Henin-Hardenne

Serena Williams
Jennifer Capriati
Mary Pierce
Steffi Graf
Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
Iva Majoli
Steffi Graf
Steffi Graf
Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
Steffi Graf
Monica Seles
Monica Seles
Monica Seles
Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
Steffi Graf
Steffi Graf
Chris Evert
Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova
Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova
Hana Mandlikova
Chris Evert
Chris Evert
Virginia Ruzici
Mima Jausovec
Sue Barker
Chris Evert
Chris Evert
Margaret Smith Court
Billie Jean King
Evonne Goolagong
Margaret Smith Court
Margaret Smith Court
Nancy Richey
Francoise Durr
Ann Haydon Jones
Lesley Turner
Margaret Smith
Lesley Turner
Margaret Smith
Ann Haydon
Darlene Hard
Christine Truman
Zsuzsi Kormoczy
Shirley Bloomer
Althea Gibson
Angela Mortimer
Maureen Connolly
Maureen Connolly
Doris Hart
Shirley Fry
Doris Hart
Margaret Osborne dupont
Nelly Landry
Patricia Todd
Margaret Osborne
not held
not held
not held
not held
not held
not held
Simone Mathieu
Simone Mathieu
Hilde Sperling
Hilde Sperling
Margaret Scriven
Margaret Scriven
Helen Wills Moody
Cilly Ausem
Helen Wills Moody
Helen Wills
Helen Wills
Kea Bouman
Suzanne Lenglen
Suzanne Lenglen
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