Why Is the French Open Called Roland Garros? Tennis Names Explained

Few tennis questions come up more often than why is the French Open called Roland Garros, especially when you keep seeing two different names for the same tournament. The answer starts with a World War I aviator, runs through a 1928 stadium deal in Paris, and explains why both names are completely correct today. This guide breaks it all down, including how the French major's naming stacks up against the other Grand Slams.

Why the French Open Is Called Roland Garros

The French Open is called Roland Garros because the tournament is played at Stade Roland Garros, a stadium complex in Paris named after a celebrated French aviation pioneer. Not a tennis player. That distinction trips up a surprising number of fans, so it's worth clearing up right away.

Roland Garros was a World War I fighter pilot, widely credited as one of the first aviators to use a synchronized machine gun mounted to the front of an aircraft. He was a genuine national hero in France, and when the stadium was built in 1928, French tennis officials named it in his honor. The clay courts and the name arrived together from day one, which is a big reason why the tournament and the venue feel so inseparable in tennis culture.

So why is the French Open called Roland Garros instead of, say, the Paris Open? The short answer is that the event has always been anchored to its physical home. The French Tennis Federation originally built the complex to host the Davis Cup that year, and as the venue grew into one of the most iconic stops in professional tennis, the Roland Garros name grew with it.

Today, both terms are used interchangeably and mean exactly the same thing. Say "Roland Garros" at any tennis club in the world and people know precisely which tournament you're talking about. If you want to get up to speed on this year's event, our Roland Garros guide has everything you need to follow the action.

Who Was Roland Garros, and Why Did Tennis Adopt His Name?

If you’re wondering why is the French Open called Roland Garros, the key point is simple: Roland Garros was not a tennis star. He was a pioneering French aviator and World War I-era pilot, a national figure whose name already meant something to France long before it became attached to clay-court tennis.

That matters because the French Open name origin starts with the stadium, not the tournament itself.

A quick snapshot of who Roland Garros was helps explain the choice:

• In 1913, he became the first pilot to fly across the Mediterranean Sea
• He was associated with early advances in aerial combat during World War I
• He was captured during the war, later escaped, returned to service, and died in combat in 1918

By the late 1920s, France needed a new venue to host major international tennis, especially after its Davis Cup success. In 1928, the French Tennis Federation worked with the City of Paris to build a new stadium on land connected to Stade Français. A condition tied to that site was that the new complex would bear the name Roland Garros, honoring the fallen aviator.

That is the real link between Garros and tennis. The event was not originally founded as a memorial to him. Instead, the stadium carried his name first, and over time the tournament became known by it too. That’s why fans still use both names today.

So, why is the French Open called Roland Garros? Because the tournament adopted the name of the stadium, and the stadium was named to preserve the memory of one of France’s early 20th-century heroes.

How the French Open Name Fits with the Other Grand Slams

Looking across the four majors helps answer why the French Open is called Roland Garros so often. The key difference is this: the other Slams are primarily known by tournament names tied to a place, while Roland Garros is the name of the venue itself, and that venue was named after a person.

That is what makes the French major different. “French Open” is the event name, just like “US Open” and “Australian Open” are event names. “Roland Garros,” on the other hand, is the stadium complex where the event is played. Because that venue name is used so heavily in France and across tennis media, it has become a stand-in for the tournament itself.

Wimbledon sits somewhere in the middle, which is why this can get confusing for newer fans. People say “Wimbledon” to mean the tournament, but the name still points back to a location and club, not an individual. Roland Garros is the only Slam commonly identified by a name that honors a specific person.

So if you have ever wondered about the French Open name origin, that is the simplest comparison: three majors are commonly labeled by geography, while the French major is often labeled by the venue name of Stade Roland Garros. That naming crossover is a big reason tennis fans switch so naturally between “French Open” and “Roland Garros.” If you want the bigger picture on how these events fit together, check out our guide to what is a Grand Slam in tennis.

Why Tennis Fans Still Use ‘Roland Garros’ and ‘French Open’ Interchangeably

Both "French Open" and "Roland Garros" are officially correct names for the same Grand Slam, and switching between them isn't a mistake or a quirk. You'll hear both in the same broadcast without anyone batting an eye.

Here's when and why each name tends to show up:

• Broadcasters targeting global audiences often default to "French Open" because it instantly signals a national championship, even to casual viewers who've never heard of Roland Garros.
• European media and tennis insiders tend to favor "Roland Garros," since it reflects the tournament's official identity and honors the legacy of the venue itself.
• The tournament's own branding leans heavily on "Roland Garros," from the official website to on-court signage, keeping the historical name front and center.
• New fans searching online frequently ask why the French Open is called Roland Garros, which makes sense when you keep seeing two different names for one event.

Quick distinction worth remembering: "French Open" tells you what the event is. "Roland Garros" tells you where it's played and whose memory it carries.

Neither name is more correct than the other. Think of it like referring to a stadium by its team versus its official name: both work, both land, and context usually does the rest.

A Quick Tennis Naming Cheat Sheet for New Fans

If you're new to tennis, the naming conventions across the four Grand Slams can feel a little all over the place. Here's a quick breakdown to keep things straight.

The Australian Open and the US Open are exactly what they sound like: location-based names, no decoding required. The Wimbledon Championships take their name from the London neighborhood that's home to the All England Club. Then there's the French Open, which has two names that fans use interchangeably: the official tournament name, and Roland Garros, the Parisian stadium complex where it's played, itself named after a World War I aviator.

Here's the easiest way to think about it: Roland Garros is the place, the French Open is the event. But because the venue is so iconic and those red clay courts so visually distinct, the two became inseparable in everyday tennis conversation. Use either one and everyone knows exactly what you mean.

A few things worth keeping in mind:

• Roland Garros is the only Grand Slam routinely known by its venue name rather than its location or country
• The clay surface makes it one of the most physically demanding events in the sport
• Both "French Open" and "Roland Garros" are completely correct

Once that clicks, the rest of the sport's language starts making a lot more sense. If you want to keep building your tennis vocabulary, the Tennis Express tennis terms glossary is a great next stop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are they calling it Roland Garros instead of French Open?

They call it Roland Garros because the French Open is played at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, and the venue name became shorthand for the tournament. The stadium was named in 1928 for French aviator Roland Garros, so both names now refer to the same Grand Slam event.

What does the name Roland Garros mean?

Roland Garros refers to the French aviation pioneer and World War I pilot honored by the stadium name. In tennis, it means Stade Roland Garros, the Paris complex where the French Open is played, so the name points to both a national hero and the tournament’s home venue.