Since 2019, Rolex has been the Premium Partner, Official Timekeeper of Roland‑Garros.
Challenged by the clay
A story written in ochre
The second Grand Slam® tournament of the season, Roland‑Garros is the only one played on clay, starting each year in late May. Athletes need to be in peak physical condition to shine on the ochre courts of the Porte d’Auteuil in western Paris, where the slow playing surface and high bounce produce long rallies and extended time on court.
In 2020, more than 90 years after its opening, a major long-term overhaul to the Roland‑Garros complex was completed. As a result, the main show court, the Court Philippe Chatrier, has a seating capacity of more than 15,000, while the retractable roof protects players and spectators from the vagaries of the weather. Since 2021, some matches are played at night under lights.
Justine Henin
Power and elegance
At Roland-Garros in 2003, Justine Henin won the first of her seven Grand Slam singles titles. The Belgian, whose trademark single-handed backhand was as elegant as it was explosive, won three more times on the Paris clay, as well as claiming the US Open crown twice and an Australian Open title. In 2016, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
