“What’s in a name?” – Everything when it comes to the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament, the French Open. The French Open is often hailed by the name of “Roland Garros” who was a French aviator and a pioneer war hero of World War I. It’s reasonable and legitimate to contemplate the connection between Roland Garros, World War I, and the French Open.
In this article we will take a closer look at the stirring story of the French aviator and World War I fighter pilot Roland Garros and why the French Open is often hailed by his name.
Who was Roland Garros?
As mentioned earlier, Roland Garros was a French aviator and World War I fighter pilot. Garros started his aviation career in 1908 with a Demoiselle (dragonfly) monoplane and achieved numerous star-studded feats including the “first-ever airplane to cross the Mediterranean Sea” in 1913 with a Morane-Saulnier G.
Roland Garros’ aviation trajectory took an unexpected leap as he joined the French army in 1914 at the time of the World War I outbreak. Just a day before his 30th birthday and a month before the end of World War I, the pioneer war hero was shot dead near Vouziers, Ardennes on 5th October 1918.
Roland Garros and the French Open
France evolved as a dominating force in the world of tennis after it successfully captured the coveted Davis Cup in 1927. To commemorate the much-anticipated and glorious victory, the French government announced their plans to build a new stadium that featured the finest of tennis coaches and top-notch tennis equipment.
The president of Stade Français, Emile Lesueur announced to name of the stadium after Roland Garros as a tribute to his legacy and the supreme sacrifices that the aviation officer made for the French army during World War I. Therefore in an attempt to honor Roland Garros’ legacy and phenomenal feats, the stadium was named after him by Emile Lesueur who interestingly also shared a personal connection with the late aviation officer as he was his classmate.
A few years down the line as more and more people got to know about Roland Garros’ cherished legacy, in addition to the venue, Stade Roland Garros Tennis Center, one of the four grand slam tournaments of tennis the “French Open” was also officially named as “Les Internationaux de France de Roland-Garros” which means French Internationals of Roland Garros to honor the French aviation pioneer and fighter pilot for the French army.
The Everlasting Legacy of Roland Garros
With a shot count of four aircraft, Roland Garros is still hailed as the world’s first fighter ace which speaks volumes about his dominance in the world of aviation.
In addition to having the French Open tournament renamed after his name, Roland Garros has also been honored by the government in several other ways. During colonial times, the Hanoi government named the city’s main tennis stadium after Roland Garros’ name.
Additionally, La Reunion’s international airport has also been named after Roland Garros. In a nutshell, although it has been decades since the iconic French aviation fighter was shot dead, his legacy continues to serve as an enormous inspiration for generations to come.
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