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French Open Fun Facts

By Chris Oddo

(May 26, 2013) -- With less than 24 hours until Roland Garros kicks off its main draw, here are a few current and historical facts to ponder while waiting for the action to commence:

1. The Quest for Great 8:

Rafael Nadal is questing to become the first male player in tennis history to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam. If he can do it, he'll break away from the other six who have tried unsuccessfully to become the first.

Richard Sears, Bill Larned and Bill Tilden won seven U.S. Open titles.

William Renshaw, Pete Sampras and Roger Federer won seven Wimbledon titles.

Rafael Nadal has won seven Roland Garros titles.

2. The Aussie-Roland Garros Double

Novak Djokovic is seeking to become the first player since 1991 to win the Australian Open and the French Open back-to-back in the same season.

Jim Courier was the last player to accomplish the feat in 1992. Mats Wilander (1988) and Rod Laver (1969) are the only other Open Era players to accomplish the task.

3. French Foibles

The French Open didn't allow foreigners to compete for the title until 1925. Aussie Jack Crawford became the first non-French player to win in Paris in 1933 when he beat Henri Cochet in the final.

Since then only ten French males have won the title, with Yannick Noah (1983) being the last French champion, and Henri Leconte (1988) being the last French finalist.

4. Speaking of 7...

Chris Evert leads all females in French Open titles with 7. Steffi Graf (6) and Justine Henin (4) are next on the list. Only four more players have won Roland Garros more than once in the Open Era. Seles (3), Sanchez-Vicario (3), Court (3), and Navratilova (2).

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova will try to join that last list this year. So will Svetlana Kuznetsova, Francesca Schiavone and Ana Ivanovic.

5. A pair of Russian women and a pair of American women have history on their side

A pair of Americans, Venus and Serena Williams, are atop the active Roland Garros win list with 41 and 39 respectively, but a pair of Russians, Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova (37-9, .804) have the best winning percentage among active players in Paris.

6. The Ageless Wonder

If Kimiko Date-Krumm can find a way to upset Samantha Stosur in the first round, the 42-year-old would become the oldest woman to win a match at Roland Garros. Currently Virginia Wade, who reached the second round at the age of 39 years and 334 days in 1985 is the oldest.

6. Young Guns

Only 5 singles players have won the French Open before they turned 18: Michael Chang ('89), Mats Wilander ('82),Monica Seles ('90), Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario ('89), Steffi Graf ('87)

7. On the Clock

In 2004, Arnaud Clement and Fabrice Santoro played what used to be the longest match in the history of tennis in the 1st round. The 6-hour 33-minute match is still the longest in French Open history, even though John Isner and Nicolas Mahut now hold the record for tennis's longest match at 11-hours 5-minutes.

8. Breaking Barriers

Althea Gibson was the first black player to win the French Open in 1956, when she defeated Angela Mortimer 6-0, 12-10 in the final.

9. Longevity and Then Some

Roger Federer will tie Stefan Edberg for the second-longest consecutive Grand Slam appearance streak with 54. Federer leads all active players in that category. On the women's side, Francesca Schiavone's streak of 51 consecutive Grand Slams played is eight ahead of Marion Bartoli's streak, which will reach 41 this year. Venus Williams will play her 59th career Grand Slam, tying her for most among active players (witrh Tamarine Tanasugarn).

10. Young Guns of Yesteryear

1989 is the only year in the history of the French Open that both singles winners had not yet turned 18. Michael Chang and Arantxa Sanchez won the men's and women's titles that year.