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The four Grand Slams

Melbourne's summer, the red clay of Paris, London's grass and New York at night: four events shape the tennis year.

What is a Grand Slam?

The Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and US Open are the four majors, with singles champions earning 2,000 ranking points. Men's singles uses best-of-five sets.

A calendar Grand Slam means winning all four in one year; Rod Laver did so in 1962 and 1969. A career Grand Slam means winning each across a career. A Golden Slam adds Olympic singles gold; Steffi Graf achieved the calendar version in 1988.

The majors span three surfaces: hard courts in Australia and New York, clay in Paris and grass in London.

Australian Open: the Happy Slam

Held in January at Melbourne Park, the season's first major uses hard courts. Rod Laver Arena is its main stadium.

The event began in 1905. Southern-hemisphere heat, sometimes above 40°C, makes heat policies and retractable roofs significant. Night sessions and long matches contribute to its festival atmosphere.

Novak Djokovic's Melbourne record is central to the event's history. In 2018, Chung Hyeon became the first Korean player to reach a major singles semifinal here.

Roland-Garros: red clay

Held around late May and early June in Paris, the French Open takes its name from the French aviator Roland Garros.

The only clay-court major rewards sliding, topspin, patience and stamina with its slower, higher bounce. The tournament began in 1891 and opened internationally in 1925; Court Philippe-Chatrier is the main arena.

Rafael Nadal's fourteen singles titles are its defining achievement, commemorated by a statue at the grounds.

Wimbledon: tradition on grass

Held around late June and early July at London's All England Club, Wimbledon began in 1877 and is the oldest major tennis tournament. Its formal name is The Championships.

The only grass-court major rewards quick reactions, low contact and effective serving. White clothing, strawberries and cream and the Royal Box are familiar traditions. Slazenger's ball partnership dates to 1902.

Roger Federer's eight and Martina Navratilova's nine singles titles are landmark Wimbledon records.

US Open: New York nights

Held around late August and early September at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, the final major uses hard courts. Arthur Ashe Stadium seats more than 20,000 spectators.

The event began in 1881 and took the US Open name in the Open Era. It was an early adopter of tiebreaks and, in 1973, became the first major to offer equal prize money to men and women.

Music, crowds and illuminated night sessions distinguish the atmosphere. Billie Jean King's advocacy and Serena Williams's performances are central to its story.

Records and memorable matches

Singles-title comparison, as of 2025: Djokovic 24, Nadal 22 and Federer 20; Margaret Court 24 including pre-Open Era titles, and Serena Williams 23 in the Open Era. These figures describe that historical snapshot.

It highlights Graf's 1988 calendar Golden Slam, and the career Golden Slams of Andre Agassi, Nadal and Djokovic, the latter completed with Paris Olympic gold in 2024.

Borg–McEnroe in the 1980 Wimbledon final and Nadal–Federer in 2008 are celebrated matches. A conventional 128-player major singles draw requires seven wins for the title.