Rafael Nadal dominated at the French Open and holds records at the event that may never be broken.
The Spanish star won Roland Garros on his debut in 2005, beating Mariano Puerta in the final, and never looked back.
Over the next 17 years, Nadal collected 13 more titles, retiring in 2024 as a record 14-time champion at the French Open.
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It was in 2014, when Nadal beat Novak Djokovic in the French Open final, that he assumed the record for himself as the most successful player in tournament history.
He took the record from a Frenchman who won eight titles during the 1900s when the event was known as the French Championships.
Max Decugis: The man who won more Roland Garros titles than anyone but Rafael Nadal
Between 1891 and 1924, the French Championships was not considered a Grand Slam event, and the tournament was only open to players who were members of French clubs.
Britain’s H. Briggs was the first winner of the event, before home favorites Andre Vacherot and Paul Ayme quickly amassed four titles each.
They were soon joined by another Frenchman, who proved to be a class above on the Parisian clay.
Born in Paris on September 24, 1882, Max Decugis shot to fame at the 1900 Olympics, winning a silver medal in the doubles event.
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He had his first taste of French Championships success three years later, when he lifted his first title with a win over four-time champion Vacherot.
Decugis retained his crown in 1904 with a 6-1, 9-7, 6-8, 6-1 win over Vacherot, becoming the third player to win multiple titles at the event.
Missing out on the title in 1905 and 1906, Decugis returned to glory in 1907, holding on to the trophy in 1908 and 1909.
- 1907 French Championships final – Max Decugis beat Robert Wallet
- 1908 French Championships final – Max Decugis beat Maurice Germot
- 1909 French Championships final – Max Decugis beat Maurice Germot
1910 and 1911 were tougher years for Decugis, before he bounced back once more to win another three titles, taking his Roland Garros tally to eight.
- 1912 French Championships final – Max Decugis beat Andre Gobert
- 1913 French Championships final – Max Decugis beat Georges Gault
- 1914 French Championships final – Max Decugis beat Jean Samazeuilh
The beginning of the First World War prevented Decugis from defending his title, and despite reaching two further finals in 1920 and 1923, the Frenchman failed to add another trophy to his collection.
He did, however, win Olympic Gold during this period, winning the mixed doubles event with Suzanne Lenglen at the 1920 Antwerp Games.
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In 1925, the French Championships gained Grand Slam status, inviting players from around the world to participate.
Some dispute whether the champions of the original incarnation of the event should be compared to those post-1925, although if you were to do so, you’d see Decugis place just behind Nadal in the all-time list.
Most Roland Garros titles
Decugis’ legacy at Roland Garros will be remembered for years to come, as he produced his best tennis at his home tournament.
That’s not to say he didn’t make a splash elsewhere, however, as he reached consecutive Wimbledon semi-finals in 1911 and 1912.
He came closest to reaching the final in 1912, when he lost in five sets, 3-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, to his fellow Frenchman, Andre Gobert.
Alongside Gobert, he had clinched the doubles title at Wimbledon one year earlier, winning a five-setter against Anthony Wilding and Major Ritchie.
Decugis passed away aged 95 in 1978 as a Wimbledon, Roland Garros, and Olympic champion, setting a pretty high bar for the future generations of French tennis to follow.
Which active player has the most French Open titles?
Following Nadal’s retirement from tennis in 2024, the ATP Tour was left with just three active French Open champions.
- (3) – Novak Djokovic: 2016, 2021, 2023
- (1) – Stan Wawrinka: 2015
- (1) – Carlos Alcaraz: 2024
Serbia’s Djokovic leads the way with three titles, having last won two years ago, beating Casper Ruud in the final.
Nadal’s countryman Carlos Alcaraz won his first French Open in 2024, beating Alexander Zverev to the title.
Alcaraz is being hotly tipped to defend his crown in 2025, but will face some stiff opposition from world number one Jannik Sinner.
The Italian narrowly lost out to Alcaraz in last year’s semi-final and will be looking to go all the way this time around.
If he needed any more motivation to do so, a win in Paris would see him move one step closer to completing the elusive Calendar Grand Slam, having already won this year’s Australian Open.
No player in men’s tennis has won all four Grand Slams in a single year since Rod Laver did so back in 1969, 56 years ago.
All three men, Djokovic, Sinner, and Alcaraz, will be in with a good shout of coming away with the trophy next month, but will first focus on their first-round matches.
Alcaraz will begin his French Open campaign against Giulio Zeppieri, Sinner will take on Arthur Rinderknech, and Djokovic faces off against Mackenzie McDonald.