Roland Garros Rewind

Queens of Paris: 50 years of French Open champions

Who won her last major 35 years ago in Paris, and who won her first on the same clay courts, five decades ago? Take a walk down memory lane with the WTA legends celebrating notable anniversaries during the 2021 edition of Roland Garros.

01 /10
In 2016, Garbiñe Muguruza became just the second Spanish woman to triumph at Roland Garros, after Arantxa Sánchez Vicario.

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02 /10
China’s Li Na made history in 2011, when she became the first player from Asia to win a Grand Slam singles title.

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03 /10
The 2006 final saw Justine Henin overcome Svetlana Kuznetsova for the third of four titles she would capture in Paris.

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04 /10
Having won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in 2001, Jennifer Capriati made it back-to-back Slams by edging Kim Clijsters, 12-10 in Paris – still the longest decider in women’s finals at Roland Garros.

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05 /10
In 1996, Stefanie Graf won the fifth of her six French titles – and for the second year in a row, her victim in the title bout was Sánchez Vicario.

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06 /10
A year after she became the French Open’s youngest champion, Monica Seles defended her title in 1991, overcoming Sánchez Vicario in the final.

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07 /10
In 1986, Chris Evert defeated her great rival Martina Navratilova for her seventh Roland Garros title – still the record haul for women in Paris, and the 18th and last major triumph of the American’s career.

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08 /10
Forty years ago, Hana Mandlikova became the first Czech woman to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen when she dispatched Evert in the semis and Sylvia Hanika in the final of 1981.

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09 /10
In 1976, at the age of 20, Britain’s Sue Barker justified her top seeding in Paris, defeating Renata Tomanova to win her sole Grand Slam title.

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10 /10
Fifty years ago, the 1971 title belonged to Evonne Goolagong, who collected the first of her seven singles majors by defeating Helen Gourlay in an all-Australian final.

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