15 Best French Open Left the Crowd Stunned
Roland-Garros plays by its own rules. The clay shifts the rhythm and forces players to adapt their game and think a few shots ahead. Power helps, but it’s the patient, tactical hitters who usually find an edge. Matches here can stretch into long, tense battles, and that setup has created some of the sport’s most surprising and memorable moments.
Here are 15 that defined the event.
Nadal Wins French Open No. 14, 2022
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Here’s what happened: Rafael Nadal played the Grand Slam final while playing with a numb foot. Sounds absurd, but it’s true. In 2022, already considered the King of Clay, he somehow upped the myth by cruising through the tournament, culminating in a clinical demolition of Casper Ruud in the final, while treating chronic foot pain with nerve-numbing injections. No player has matched this level of single-event dominance in tennis.
Seles Defeats Graf in Gripping 1992 Final
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Monica Seles and Steffi Graf’s third-set decider went to 10-8 after both saved multiple match points. The tennis was relentless, physical, and extraordinarily precise. Seles came out on top and became a three-time French Open winner before turning 19. It remains one of the greatest displays of tenacity ever seen on clay.
Evert Outlasts Navratilova, 1985 Final
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Chris Evert had a Martina Navratilova problem. Specifically, a 15-losses-in-16-matches kind of problem. But 1985 Paris was different. The final went the distance, and at 5-all in the third, Evert faced three break points. Somehow, she held firm, then broke serve with an ice-cold backhand winner to claim the title. That win brought her sixth Roland-Garros crown.
Michael Chang Stuns Ivan Lendl, 1989
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Chang was just 17, down two sets, and battling cramps. Yet he flipped the match with clever tactics—including a famous underarm serve—and mental toughness. His win over No. 1 seed Ivan Lendl was followed by four more victories, which made Chang the youngest male Grand Slam champion in history.
Soderling Ends Nadal’s Perfect Run, 2009
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Until 2009, Rafael Nadal was a French Open cheat code: 31 wins, zero losses. Then came Robin Soderling. He didn’t play safe, didn’t retreat, and absolutely did not care about the history he was trampling on. Soderling handed Nadal his first-ever loss at Roland-Garros.
Nadal Outduels Djokovic in 2013 Semifinal
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Four hours, five sets, and a match that felt like it was being played on the edge of a volcano. Nadal vs. Djokovic in the 2013 semifinal was emotionally exhausting. The turning point was when Djokovic touched the net at a point where he appeared to win in the fifth. Nadal eventually won 9-7 in the final set.
Three Legends Complete Their Career Slams
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Some legends had to wrestle with the clay before they finally kissed the Coupe des Mousquetaires. Andre Agassi in ’99 came back from two sets down. Federer waited until 2009 to capitalize on Soderling’s shock win over Nadal. It took Djokovic until 2016 to complete his career Slam and win a nervy final against Andy Murray.
Steffi Graf Rallies to Beat Hingis, 1999 Final
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Down a set and trailing in the second, Graf fought off a boisterous crowd and a confident Martina Hingis. A controversial point swung momentum, and Graf clawed back to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. It was her 22nd and final major, and the match marked a fitting high note to a legendary career.
Borg Loses Just 32 Games en Route to 1978 Title
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Want to know what tennis domination looks like? Try dropping only 32 games across seven matches. That’s what Björn Borg did in 1978. His final against Guillermo Vilas wasn’t a contest so much as a tutorial in clay-court command: 6-1, 6-1, 6-3.
Henin and Swiatek’s Three-Peat
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You don’t win three French Opens in a row by accident. Justine Henin did it first (2005–07) by slicing through a stacked women’s field with deceptive power and cold-blooded precision. More recently, Iga Świątek matched the feat from 2022 to 2024, losing just three sets along the way.
Guga Kuerten Wins First French Open on Debut, 1997
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No one saw it coming—not even Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten. Ranked 66th, unseeded, and unproven, he showed up in Paris and beat three former champs—Muster, Kafelnikov, and Bruguera—and won the whole thing on his debut. Kuerten became a fan favorite and went on to win two more in Paris.
Pierce and Noah End French Title Droughts
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For a country so steeped in tennis history, France doesn’t win at home all that often. But in 1983, Yannick Noah lit up Paris with his athleticism and joyous spirit, becoming the first Frenchman in 37 years to win the title. Seventeen years later, Mary Pierce followed suit, bulldozing a trio of big names to lift the women’s trophy in 2000. French fans are still waiting for a third act.
Lendl’s Comeback Over McEnroe, 1984 Final
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John McEnroe led by two sets, but Ivan Lendl roared back to win in five, handing McEnroe his first loss of the season and ending a 42-match win streak. It was Lendl’s first major title and marked a mental turning point.
Swiatek’s 2020 Title During Pandemic Conditions
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The 2020 French Open had pandemic strangeness all over it, but Iga Świątek tuned it out entirely. She didn’t drop a set, didn’t blink, and didn’t allow more than 28 games across seven matches. It was a breakthrough.
Horvath Hands Navratilova Her Only 1983 Loss
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Kathy Horvath, a 17-year-old American, did what no one else managed in 1983: beat Martina Navratilova. Navratilova finished the year 86-1, still the best single-season record ever. That one loss came in the French Open fourth round, where Horvath held her nerve in a tight three-setter.