Established in 1891 as the ‘French Championships’ before assuming its current title almost eight decades later, the French Open is one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events. Alongside the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open, it forms the revered Grand Slam of tennis.
Although the tournament is well over a century old, professionals have only been permitted to compete at Roland Garros since 1968. It was the first major to extend its entry pool beyond amateurs, with the others following suit over the subsequent eight months. Our attention will be exclusively focused on the Open Era, the start of which pre-empted a radical transformation in the way that tennis is played, watched, and marketed.
The French Open consists of multiple events, including the men’s and women’s singles, the men’s and women’s doubles, mixed doubles, junior singles and doubles, and several wheelchair classifications. It’s worth noting that wheelchair matches weren’t introduced until the turn of the millennium, but have since become increasingly popular amongst tennis enthusiasts. All of these events adopt a straightforward single-elimination format, with the field reduced in each round until two finalists remain.
Although the tournament's prize fund continues to grow exponentially, several high-profile players have suggested that the French Open's financial reward structure lacks integrity. There is no gender pay gap in place across any of the four majors, so male and female players are compensated equally.
The total purse for the 2026 French Open stands at an eye-watering €61.273 million, a considerable 9.53% uplift on last year’s figure. Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff were handed €2.55 million for winning the 2025 men’s and women’s singles events, respectively, while the Spanish superstar pocketed €2.4 million as a result of being crowned champion 12 months earlier. However, Alcaraz will miss the upcoming tournament due to injury.
This year’s winners stand to receive €2.8m, while every other player – including those participating in the initial qualifying competition – will receive some level of payment.
Who has enjoyed the most success at the French Open?
There have been a considerable number of players who have won multiple titles at the French Open, but no one can remotely challenge Rafael Nadal’s sensational record. The undisputed King of Roland Garros, Nadal won the tournament on no less than 14 occasions throughout his highly decorated career. Let’s take a brief look at each of those triumphs….
2005: Just two days after celebrating his nineteenth birthday, Nadal became the first man in 23 years to lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires on his French Open debut. After Mariano Puerta – a player eight years Nadal’s senior – claimed a first-set tie-breaker in the final, the Spanish teenager bounced back to record an immensely impressive 3-1 victory.
2006: Having stopped Roger Federer from completing a career grand slam by knocking him out of the French Open semi-finals in 2005, Nadal thwarted the Swiss supremo for a second consecutive occasion – this time in the final – the following year.
2007: In a repeat of the previous year’s final, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer clashed in Roland Garros’ 2007 showpiece. The outcome was exactly the same, with the Mallorcan winning in four sets to frustrate Federer once again.
2008: Yet another showdown with Federer awaited Nadal in the 2008 final, although his victory on this occasion was a little more straightforward. Nadal didn’t drop a set throughout the entire tournament, a feat he would go on to replicate in the 2010, 2017, and 2020 editions of the tournament.
2010: After suffering his first-ever loss in the French Open in 2009, Nadal returned to Roland Garros with the bit between his teeth. The Spaniard’s opponent in the final was none other than Robin Söderling, the same player who had inflicted that maiden defeat a year earlier.
2011: Having eventually achieved the holy grail two years prior, Roger Federer was out to secure a double grand slam in the 2011 French Open final. However, his opponent had other ideas. After a tightly contested opening three sets, Nadal took the fourth in scintillating fashion to land his tenth major title.
2012: By the time the following summer rolled around, there was a new threat on the horizon. Novak Djokovic hadn’t won a set against Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros in four previous attempts, but ran him close in the 2012 final. Nevertheless, the gifted left-hander ultimately prevailed, beating Djokovic 3-1 to surpass Björn Borg’s record tally of seven French Open crowns.
2013: After edging past Djokovic in what many consider to be the greatest clay court match of all time, Nadal met compatriot David Ferrer in the 2013 final. Another straight-sets triumph duly followed.
2014: By the conclusion of the 2014 French Open, Nadal had secured more titles at a single tournament than any other player in history. Djokovic once again succumbed to Nadal’s powerful baseline strokes, losing 4-1 in front of a packed Court Philippe-Chatrier.
2017: The three-year wait for his next French Open title must have felt like an eternity to Rafael Nadal, who always seemed invincible on the clay courts of Roland Garros regardless of his form elsewhere. Nadal defeated 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka to get his hands on the Coupe des Mousquetaires for a tenth time, having once again cruised throughout the tournament without conceding a set.
2018: Ahead of Dominic Thiem’s valiant efforts at the 2018 French Open, no Austrian had appeared in a major singles final for 23 years. Although his compatriot Thomas Muster went on to be crowned champion at Roland Garros in 1995, Thiem unfortunately fell at the last hurdle. You can probably guess who beat him in the showpiece…
2019: Thiem didn’t have to wait long for a shot at redemption, as the 2018 French Open final was a repeat of the previous year. Although he pushed his opponent further on this occasion by taking the second set, the Austrian was unable to prevent Nadal’s inevitable march to yet another title.
2020: With social distancing measures still in place following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, only 1,000 spectators were permitted to watch the 2020 French Open final. Having suffered his first ‘bagel’ set (0-6) and won just seven games throughout, Djokovic was perhaps relieved that his heavy defeat to Nadal unfolded in front of a reduced audience.
2022: Nadal’s route to his fourteenth and final Roland Garros crown was perhaps the toughest, having faced no less than four top-ten-ranked players throughout the tournament. After beating the likes of top seed Novak Djokovic and talented Canadian teenager Félix Auger-Aliassime, the Spaniard comfortably dispatched Casper Ruud in the final.
Serial Winners
The most successful players in each of the events staged at the French Open are listed below. Please note that only titles earned in the Open Era (1968 onwards) have been taken into account, while junior champions are not included in this list.
Men’s Singles: Rafael Nadal (Spain) – 14 titles
Women’s Singles: Chris Evert (USA) – 7 titles
Men’s Doubles: Max Mirnyi (Belarus) and Daniel Nestor (Canada) – 4 titles each (2 jointly)
Women’s Doubles: Martina Navratilova (Czechia/USA) – 7 titles
*Mixed Doubles: Françoise Dürr (France), Jean-Claude Barclay (French), Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) – 3 titles each (Dürr and Barclay won all of their titles together)
Wheelchair Men’s Singles: Shingo Kunieda (Japan) – 8 titles
Wheelchair Women’s Singles: Esther Vergeer (Netherlands) – 6 titles
Wheelchair Men’s Doubles: Shingo Kunieda (Japan) and Gordon Reid (United Kingdom) – 8 titles each (2 jointly)
Wheelchair Women’s Doubles: Aniek van Koot (Netherlands) – 9 titles
*Quad Singles: Dylan Alcott (Australia) – 3 titles
*Quad Doubles: Niels Vink (Netherlands), Sam Schröder (Netherlands), and David Wagner (USA) – 3 titles each
*mixed gender event.
Tournament Records – Open Era
Although Rafael Nadal casts a dominant shadow over the Roland Garros record books, plenty of others have achieved some extraordinary feats at the French Open. Here’s a selection of the tournament’s most notable performances:
Youngest men’s singles champion: Michael Chang (USA) – Aged 17 years and 3 months when he won the title in 1989.
Youngest women’s singles champion: Monica Seles (Yugoslavia) – Aged 16 years 6 months when she won the title in 1990.
Oldest men’s singles champion: Novak Djokovic (Serbia) – Aged 36 years and 1 month when he won the title in 2023
Oldest women’s singles champion: Serena Williams (USA) – Aged 33 years and nine months when she won the title in 2015
Unseeded champions: Mats Wilander (Sweden) – 1982, Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil) – 1997, Gastón Gaudio (Argentina) – 2004
Most championships in men's division: Rafael Nadal (Spain) – 14 titles (all singles)
Most championships in women’s division: Martina Navratilova (Czechia/USA) – 11 titles (2 singles, 7 doubles, and 2 mixed doubles)
Open Era Winners
Complete list of French Open men’s and women’s singles champions:
Men’s Singles
2025: Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
2024: Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
2023: Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
2022: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2021: Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
2020: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2019: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2018: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2017: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2016: Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
2015: Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland)
2014: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2013: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2012: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2011: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2010: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2009: Roger Federer (Switzerland)
2008: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2007: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2006: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2005: Rafael Nadal (Spain)
2004: Gastón Gaudio (Argentina)
2003: Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain)
2002: Albert Costa (Spain)
2001: Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil)
2000: Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil)
1999: Andre Agassi (USA)
1998: Carlos Moyá (Spain)
1997: Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil)
1996: Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia)
1995: Thomas Muster (Austria)
1994: Sergi Bruguera (Spain)
1993: Sergi Bruguera (Spain)
1992: Jim Courier (USA)
1991: Jim Courier (USA)
1990: Andrés Gómez (Ecuador)
1989: Michael Chang (USA)
1988: Mats Wilander (Sweden)
1987: Ivan Lendl (Czechoslovakia)
1986: Ivan Lendl (Czechoslovakia)
1985: Mats Wilander (Sweden)
1984: Ivan Lendl (Czechoslovakia)
1983: Yannick Noah (France)
1982: Mats Wilander (Sweden)
1981: Björn Borg (Sweden)
1980: Björn Borg (Sweden)
1979: Björn Borg (Sweden)
1978: Björn Borg (Sweden)
1977: Guillermo Vilas (Argentina)
1976: Adriano Panatta (Italy)
1975: Björn Borg (Sweden)
1974: Björn Borg (Sweden)
1973: Ilie Năstase (Romania)
1972: Andrés Gimeno (Spain)
1971: Jan Kodeš (Czechoslovakia)
1970: Jan Kodeš (Czechoslovakia)
1969: Rod Laver (Australia)
1968: Ken Rosewall (Australia)
Women’s Singles
2025: Coco Gauff (USA)
2024: Iga Świątek (Poland)
2023: Iga Świątek (Poland)
2022: Iga Świątek (Poland)
2021: Barbora Krejčíková (Czechia)
2020: Iga Świątek (Poland)
2019: Ashleigh Barty (Australian)
2018: Simona Halep (Romania)
2017: Jeļena Ostapenko (Latvia)
2016: Garbiñe Muguruza (Spain)
2015: Serena Williams (USA)
2014: Maria Sharapova (Russia)
2013: Serena Williams (USA)
2012: Maria Sharapova (Russia)
2011: Li Na (China)
2010: Francesca Schiavone (Italy)
2009: Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia)
2008: Ana Ivanović (Serbia)
2007: Justine Henin (Belgium)
2006: Justine Henin (Belgium)
2005: Justine Henin (Belgium)
2004: Anastasia Myskina (Russia)
2003: Justine Henin (Belgium)
2002: Serena Williams (USA)
2001: Jennifer Capriati (USA)
2000: Mary Pierce (France)
1999: Steffi Graf (Germany)
1998: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (Spain)
1997: Iva Majoli (Croatia)
1996: Steffi Graf (Germany)
1995: Steffi Graf (Germany)
1994: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (Spain)
1993: Steffi Graf (Germany)
1992: Monica Seles (Yugoslavia)
1991: Monica Seles (Yugoslavia)
1990: Monica Seles (Yugoslavia)
1989: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (Spain)
1988: Steffi Graf (Germany)
1987: Steffi Graf (Germany)
1986: Chris Evert (USA)
1985: Chris Evert (USA)
1984: Martina Navratilova (USA)
1983: Chris Evert (USA)
1982: Martina Navratilova (USA)
1981: Hana Mandlíková (Czechoslovakia)
1980: Chris Evert (USA)
1979: Chris Evert (USA)
1978: Virginia Ruzici (Romania)
1977: Mima Jaušovec (Yugoslavia)
1976: Sue Barker (United Kingdom)
1975: Chris Evert (USA)
1974: Chris Evert (USA)
1973: Margaret Court (Australia)
1972: Billie Jean King (USA)
1971: Evonne Goolagong (Australia)
1970: Margaret Court (Australia)
1969: Margaret Court (Australia)
1968: Nancy Richey (USA)