The 2023 edition of Roland Garros began on Monday with the first round of qualifying. Europe 1 looks at the origins of this name attributed to the most prestigious tournament on clay.
In reality, this is a name that has very little to do with tennis. It is a tribute to a man who was an aviator, and who died in the First World War. He was killed when he shot down a German plane over the Ardennes in 1918. His name was given to a stadium near Boulogne, where the Davis Cup was played.