The Name Game: Why Roland-Garros is Clarifying Its Identity

For tennis fans, the annual pilgrimage to Paris is a highlight of the sporting calendar. Yet, as the tournament progresses, a curious linguistic battle has unfolded. While much of the English-speaking world continues to refer to the event as the “French Open,” the tournament organizers are making it clear that they prefer a different moniker: Roland-Garros.

This push for branding consistency recently hit social media, where the tournament’s official account shared a meme featuring the rapper Drake. The image showed the artist dismissing the term “French Open” in favor of “Roland-Garros,” accompanied by the caption, “For everyone asking.”

The Origins of the Name

To understand the distinction, it helps to look at the history of the event. According to the tournament’s official website, the competition dates back to 1891, when it was originally known as the “French Clay-Court Championships.” It wasn’t until 1925, when the event opened its doors to international competitors, that the term “French Open” began to gain traction.

The name “Roland-Garros” arrived a few years later, in 1928, when the stadium was renamed in honor of the French fighter pilot Roland Garros, who died in 1918 during World War I. While the French Tennis Federation has confirmed that “Roland-Garros” is the official name of the tournament, the “French Open” remains the standard terminology for many media outlets in the United States and England, including the Associated Press style guide.

A Shift in Player Preference

The tournament is not alone in its push for the official name. Many professional players have begun to adopt “Roland-Garros” in their own public communications. During pre-tournament media availability last week, men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner consistently referred to the event by its official name.

Social media posts from high-profile athletes also reflect this shift, though usage remains inconsistent. For example, 2025 men’s singles champion Carlos Alcaraz used the term “Roland Garros” in an Instagram post last month regarding his absence from the event. Meanwhile, 2025 women’s singles champion Coco Gauff previously referred to herself as the “french open champion” on the same platform last year.

Why It Matters

The distinction between the two names highlights the unique position of the event among the four Grand Slam tournaments. While the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open are all hosted in English-speaking nations, the Paris tournament retains a distinct French identity that is deeply tied to its history and the legacy of its namesake.

As the tournament looks to the future, the effort to align public language with its official branding appears to be a move toward preserving that identity. For now, fans can expect to see both terms used interchangeably in the media, even as the French Tennis Federation continues to emphasize the official title.

Key Takeaways

• Official Branding: The French Tennis Federation maintains that the tournament’s official name is Roland-Garros.
• Historical Context: The event was founded in 1891 as the “French Clay-Court Championships” and adopted the name of French pilot Roland Garros in 1928.
• Media Usage: Despite the tournament’s preference, many English-language media outlets continue to use “French Open” as their primary descriptor.
• Athlete Influence: Top players are increasingly using “Roland-Garros” in interviews and public statements, though usage across the sport remains varied.