The story behind Roland Garros' iconic clay courts.
The 2025 Roland Garros is officially underway, kicking off with the qualifying rounds from today through May 23. Following the traditional charity event, Yannick Noah’s Day on May 24, the main draw for both men and women begins on May 25 and runs through June 8. As always, the French Open will take place at the iconic Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France.
Most tennis fans already understand how crucial the playing surface is in shaping the game. It’s what the ball hits, and it dictates the bounce, spin, and speed. And when someone mentions the French Open, one image comes instantly to mind: that signature red clay.
But what’s the story behind it? Why clay, and what makes it so special? Let’s dig in.
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The French Open, aka Roland Garros, is famously played on “red clay.” However, the surface isn’t actually made of natural clay. Instead, it’s a meticulously engineered structure layered from the bottom up: it begins with drain rock, followed by crushed gravel, a layer of coal residue, and then crushed white limestone. The final touch? A thin layer of red brick dust that gives the court its iconic rust-colored hue.
The use of clay at Roland Garros has both historical and practical roots. It all began in 1890 with British tennis pioneers William and Ernest Renshaw, who, frustrated by grass courts drying out under the sun, started covering them with crushed terracotta from ceramic factories. This innovation kept the surface cooler and more consistent, and it caught on quickly.
By the 1920s, French tennis players needed a reliable surface to train on year-round. Clay, which was easier on the body and held up better in the heat than grass, became the ideal solution. When the French Open moved to Stade Roland Garros in 1928, clay was already the surface of choice, and it’s stayed that way ever since.
Though not the main reason for its adoption, clay is also less expensive to build than other surfaces. However, it requires intensive upkeep: courts must be brushed, watered, and rolled regularly to maintain their texture and evenness. Without this care, the surface becomes dry, uneven, and unpredictable, which can dramatically affect play.
Today, the slow, high-bouncing clay challenges players in unique ways, demanding stamina, strategy, and finesse like no other surface.
The origins of Roland Garros trace back 134 years to 1891, when the tournament first began as the Championnat de France, a competition exclusively for members of French tennis clubs. The event gradually expanded: women’s singles were added in 1897, mixed doubles in 1902, and women’s doubles in 1907. A landmark moment came in 1925, when the tournament was opened to international amateur players and officially recognized as a major championship by the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF).
In its early years, the tournament moved across several locations. It was first played at the Société de Sport de l’Île de Puteaux, then shifted to Auteuil in 1895, and later to Bordeaux in 1909. By 1925, it had relocated to the Stade Français in Saint-Cloud.
After France’s historic Davis Cup victory in 1927, the need for a suitable venue to defend the title led to the construction of a new stadium at Porte d’Auteuil in Paris. Built in 1928, it was named in honor of Roland Garros, a pioneering French pilot and World War I hero. Eventually, the tournament itself became synonymous with the stadium, adopting the name Roland Garros.
The French Open has seen only a few interruptions in its long history. It was suspended from 1915 to 1919 during World War I and again in 1940 at the onset of World War II. Although tournaments were held between 1941 and 1945, those wartime editions are not officially recognized by the French Tennis Federation.
Also Read: Roland Garros 2025 Qualifying Tournament: Top Stars to Feature, Dates and Format
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