Full list of singles players to defend French Open title

Rafael Nadal has defended his Roland Garros title a record 10 times.
The French Open, also known as Roland-Garros, is one of the most prestigious racket sports tournaments in the world. Established in 1891, the competition found its permanent home at Stade Roland Garros in Paris in 1928 and is held over two weeks in late May to early June each year.
It is the second Grand Slam of the calendar year and remains the only major played on outdoor clay courts, a surface renowned for its physical and mental demands.
Initially restricted to members of French clubs, the tournament became open to international competitors in 1925, earning its place among the Grand Slam quartet alongside Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. Due to the slow-playing nature of clay, Roland-Garros is often viewed as the ultimate test of endurance, strategy, and versatility.
The tournament is celebrated for its iconic venues, Court Philippe-Chatrier, Court Suzanne-Lenglen, and the newly roofed Simonne-Mathieu Court, which provide a dramatic backdrop for some of the most grueling and historic battles in tennis history.
The most successful player in the tournament’s history is Rafael Nadal, whose dominance on clay is unmatched, with an astounding 14 French Open titles. On the women’s side, Chris Evert leads the record books with 7 singles crowns on the Parisian clay.
Also Read: Which players has Rafael Nadal bageled at French Open? Check full list
Winning a Grand Slam is a career-defining moment, but conquering the French Open more than once—and consecutively- is a feat that defines the legends of the sport. Due to the demanding nature of clay, achieving back-to-back titles at Roland-Garros is extremely rare.
Only a select few women have managed to win the singles title for three consecutive years. This elite club includes Justine Henin, who accomplished the feat from 2005 to 2007, and Monica Seles, who did it from 1990 to 1992.
Also Read: Top five players with most women’s singles titles at French Open
Remarkably, several tennis legends have never managed to win consecutive French Open titles, let alone three in a row. Icons like Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova, and Andre Agassi have all been humbled by the red clay, highlighting the unique difficulty of dominating Roland-Garros year after year.
On that note, let’s take a look at the full list of men’s and women’s singles players who have successfully defended their French Open title.
Also Read: French Open: Full list of title winners
French Open men’s singles champions who defended their title
YEAR | CHAMPION | COUNTRY |
---|---|---|
1970, 1971 | Jan Kodes | Czechoslovakia |
1974, 1975 | Bjorn Borg | Sweden |
1978, 1979, 1980, 1981 | Bjorn Borg | Sweden |
1986, 1987 | Ivan Lendl | Czechoslovakia |
1991, 1992 | Jim Courier | United States |
1993, 1994 | Sergi Bruguera | Spain |
2000, 2001 | Gustavo Kuerten | Brazil |
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 | Rafael Nadal | Spain |
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 | Rafael Nadal | Spain |
2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 | Rafael Nadal | Spain |
2024, 2025 | Carlos Alcaraz | Spain |
French Open women’s singles champions who defended their title:
YEAR | CHAMPION | COUNTRY |
---|---|---|
1969, 1970 | Margaret Court | Australia |
1974, 1975 | Chris Evert | United States |
1979, 1980 | Chris Evert | United States |
1985, 1986 | Chris Evert | United States |
1987, 1988 | Steffi Graf | Germany |
1990, 1991, 1992 | Monica Seles | Yugoslavia |
1995, 1996 | Steffi Graf | Germany |
2005, 2006, 2007 | Justine Henin | Belgium |
2022, 2023, 2024 | Iga Swiatek | Poland |
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.
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