Ranking top 7 French Open champions in Open Era ft. Bjorn Borg & Rafael Nadal
Many top players have triumphed at the French Open over the years, especially in the Open Era.
In fact, the first Grand Slam tournament of the Open Era was the French Open in 1968, which was won by Ken Rosewall. Since then, 26 other players have won the men's singles titles in the Parisian terre battue. However, only nine of them have done so on multiple occasions, with the latest entrant in that group being Novak Djokovic following his triumph last season.
On that note, here's a look at the seven greatest men's singles winners at Roland Garros in the Open Era:
#7 Sergi Bruguera (two-time Roland Garros winner)
Sergi Bruguera is one of four players to have won exactly two Roland Garros titles in the Open Era. The Spaniard made three finals at the claycourt Major in 12 visits, winning two.
After reaching the Round of 16 on his French Open debut in 1989, Bruguera would take four more years to reach the same stage of the tournament. When he did so, he went all the way, beating Jim Courier in a five-set final to deny the American a three-peat and break into the top ten.
June 5, 1994: Sergi Bruguera of Spain wins his second straight French Open men’s singles title, defeating unseeded countryman Alberto Berasategui 6-3, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 in the men's singles final. #RolandGarros https://t.co/18k47eybfb
Bruguera returned to Roland Garros the following year and successfully defended his title. He didn't drop a set till the semis, where he beat Courier in four sets and compatriot Alberto Berasategui (also in four) in the title match. The Spaniard made his third final at Roland Garros in 1997 but lost to Gustavo Kuerten in four sets.
#6 Novak Djokovic (two-time Roland Garros winner)
Novak Djokovic is widely regarded as one of the best players in history. With his second Roland Garros triumph in 2021, he became the first player in the Open Era to win all four Majors at least twice.
The Serb has a stellar 81-15 record at the claycourt Major, with only one player - Rafael Nadal (more on him later) - winning more matches. Djokovic lost his first three finals at the French Open - in 2012, 2014 and 2015 - before breaking through in 2016 to complete the career Grand Slam.
The reigning World No. 1 is the only player to beat 13-time champion Nadal twice in Paris. His second triumph over the Spaniard in the 2021 semis is widely regarded as one of the best matches in tournament history.
Joker Joy 😄
#RolandGarros | @DjokerNole https://t.co/r5ntuEdmgJ
If Djokovic successfully defends his title in Paris this year, he'll move into unchartered territory. The Serb will become the first player in the Open Era to win each Major thrice.
#5 Gustavo Kuerten (three-time Roland Garros winner)
Gustavo Kuerten is one of five players in the Open Era to have triumphed three times at Roland Garros.
The Brazilian lost in the first round on his tournament debut in 1996 but went all the way the very next year, beating two-time winner Sergi Bruguera in the final. It was an impressive triumph as Kuerten dropped a set in five of his matches, playing three consecutive five-setters.
Following the triumph, he climbed up 51 places in the rankings to break into the top 15.
The last player to win their debut title at Roland-Garros was Gustavo Kuerten on June 8, 1997...
The day Jelena Ostapenko was born.
#RG17 https://t.co/dQj4Ooxces
Kuerten failed to defend his title the next year, losing to Marat Safin in the second round. However, Guga won back-to-back titles in 2000 and 2001 to demonstrate his claycourt pedigree.
#4 Mats Wilander (three-time Roland Garros winner)
Mats Wilander made an explosive start to his Roland Garros career. Debuting in the tournament in 1982 as an unseeded player, the then 17-year-old went all the way. That made the Swede the youngest male Grand Slam singles winner in history.
He made an inspired run to the final the following year but was beaten by local boy Yannick Noah. Two years later, Wilander won his second French Open title, beating defending champion Ivan Lendl in four sets. In 1987, the pair met again in the final, but this time it was Lendl who won in four sets.
30 years ago today, Mats Wilander wins #RolandGarros for a third time, defeating @henrileconteoff 75 62 61 in the men’s singles final. Wilander misses only two of 74 first serves, commits only nine unforced errors and does not hit a volley during the 1 hour, 52-minute match. https://t.co/kOJREgI4fY
Wilander returned in 1988 to win his third French Open title in seven years. At 23, though, that would be the Swede's final title match in Paris. In five subsequent visits in the next eight years, he would make only one quarterfinal.
#3 Ivan Lendl (three-time Roland Garros winner)
Ivan Lendl is another player who has won three French Open titles. The former World No. 1 reached multiple finals at all four Majors, including four in Paris.
Lendl, who debuted at the claycourt Major in 1978, losing in the first round, reached his first final at the French Open three years later, but lost to Bjorn Borg. Three years later, though, he won his first Grand Slam title, beating John McEnroe in the final after losing the first two sets.
We look back to 1984 and one of the most memorable finals of all time, when Ivan Lendl came from two sets down to beat John McEnroe for his first Grand Slam title! 🏆
#RolandGarros
The Czech-American lost to Wilander in the final the following year but returned to win his second title in 1986. In a dominant fortnight, Lendl dropped only one set before beating Mikael Pernfors in straight sets in the final. Lendl returned to successfully defend his title, beating Wilander in a rematch of the pair's 1985 final.
Lendl would make only one quarterfinal in Paris on his next five visits, though, enduring first-round exits in his last two (1993 and 1994).
#2 Bjorn Borg (six-time Roland Garros winner)
Bjorn Borg has a stellar record at Roland Garros. He ruled the claycourt Major in the mid 1970s and early 1980s before inexplicably retiring from the sport at the peak age of 26. The Swede only ever lost twice (against the same player) in eight visits to Roland Garros, winning 49 matches and six titles.
After losing to Adriano Panatta in the fourth round on his tournament debut in 1973, Borg became the first teenager to win a Grand Slam a year later. He beat Manuel Orantes from two sets down in the 1974 final in what was his third five-set win of the fortnight.
Borg was only getting started in Paris He successfully defended his title the following year before losing to Panatta again in the 1976 quarterfinals. The Swede wouldn't lose another match at the claycourt Major.
In 1978, he won his third Roland Garros title without dropping a set, a feat he would repeat in 1980 after dropping three sets during his title run in 1979. In the 1980 campaign, he got extended to 6-4 only twice. He reached the 1981 final without dropping a set before beating Lendl in five sets to win his sixth French Open title.
Legend looking on. No pressure 😃
Pleasure to see our six-time champion, Bjorn Borg.
#RolandGarros https://t.co/hF7nEW1uwA
Borg won three consecutive Roland Garros-Wimbledon doubles, a feat accomplished only by Roger Federer (2009) and Rafael Nadal (2010) since then.
#1 Rafael Nadal (13-time Roland Garros winner)
Does he even need an introduction? Rafael Nadal is, hands down, the greatest player to have graced Roland Garros, even if one considers the amateur era.
The 35-year-old has a staggering 105-3 record at the claycourt Major, winning a scarcely believable 13 titles. He has lost only one of 14 French Open quarterfinals and semifinals and has never tasted defeat in the title match.
Nadal has only been taken the distance twice in Paris by John Isner (2011, first round) and Novak Djokovic (2013 semifinals), but neither player could get over the line. The legendary left-hander has won four of his Roland Garros titles without dropping a set.
For the 13th time...
@RafaelNadal is King in Paris.
#RolandGarros https://t.co/ICbgLmYj0T
His win over Djokovic in the 2020 final was his 100th at the claycourt Major. Nadal's dominance in Paris can be gauged from the fact that his two greatest rivals - Roger Federer (0/6) and Novak Djokovic (2/9) - only beat him twice in 15 cumulative meetings. The Spaniard has twice denied Federer a calendar-year Grand Slam by beating the Swiss in the French Open final (2006-07).
Seven of Nadal's 13 Roland Garros titles have come at the expense of Federer (4) and Djokovic (3). The Spaniard is the only player in history to do a five-peat and two four-peats at the tournament.
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