Why French Open is called as Roland Garros ? Learn the history behind the iconic name

The French Open is set to begin on the 26th of May with several great players in the mix. The tournament is once again one of the most hyped tournaments, that will be held in the beautiful city of Paris. Everyone is set for a tournament full of thrills with some legends in the mix. This is also an opportunity for players to finally achieve their Grand Slam glory on one of the toughest surfaces in the world.

Though we know this has been one of the most gruelling tournaments filled with some legendary matches, there is also a very rich history behind this tournament that started all the way back in 1928. This tournament is also known by another iconic name, Roland Garros. There are still some questions as to why the tournament was given this name and the thought behind this. This is really one of the biggest historical details we would like to learn about.

The real history behind the name

Before we learn about this name, we have to learn about how this venue came to be made. The venue of the tournament was built to celebrate the victory of France in the Davis Cup. The person behind the big tournament was the stadium's president Emile Lesueur. The idea of the French Open came to the foray to improve the growth of Tennis. Since there was a name required for the venue, Laseur went ahead and named it after his childhood friend Roland Garros, a fighter pilot who lost his life during the first world war.

Laseur gave that name despite knowing that Roland Garros did not really have a history with Tennis. The name was given as a remenbrance of the French team being victorious. This is the name given as a symbol of victory which is the aim of every Tennis player in the tournament. This is an interesting story that has inspired everyone and has now become a name etched in the hearts of millions of people.