The Four Tennis Grand Slams Explained: Dates, Surfaces and History
The four Grand Slam tournaments, also called the majors, are the biggest events in tennis. They offer the most ranking points, the most prize money and the most prestige.
The four majors at a glance
| Tournament | City | Usual dates | Surface | First held |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | Melbourne | January | Hard court | 1905 |
| Roland Garros (French Open) | Paris | Late May to early June | Red clay | 1891 |
| Wimbledon | London | Late June to July | Grass | 1877 |
| US Open | New York | Late August to September | Hard court | 1881 |
How the surfaces change the game
- Clay slows the ball and makes it bounce high, so rallies are long and fitness matters. Rafael Nadal won Roland Garros 14 times.
- Grass keeps the ball low and fast, rewarding big serves and quick points.
- Hard courts sit in between and suit all-round players.
What is a Grand Slam?
Each tournament is called a Grand Slam event. But the phrase “winning the Grand Slam” means winning all four majors in the same calendar year. Only five players have done it in singles:
- Don Budge (1938)
- Maureen Connolly (1953)
- Rod Laver (1962 and 1969)
- Margaret Court (1970)
- Steffi Graf (1988), who also won Olympic gold that year, the “Golden Slam”
Winning all four across a career, but not in one year, is a Career Grand Slam.
The Open era
Before 1968, professional players were banned from the majors, which were for amateurs only. The Open era began in 1968, when professionals were allowed to enter. Records are often split into before and after 1968 for that reason.
Format at the majors
Singles draws have 128 players, so a champion must win seven matches in two weeks. Men's singles are best of five sets and women's singles best of three, and every deciding set at 6-6 ends in a 10-point tiebreak.
The record holders
Novak Djokovic holds the men's record for Grand Slam singles titles. Margaret Court holds the all-time women's record with 24, and Serena Williams the Open-era women's record with 23.
Read about the first Wimbledon, the greatest tennis players and tennis records.