Marie Mahé, Media365: published on Tuesday March 29, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.
Roland-Garros was created in 1925. During this decade, the French Open made headlines, with the Four Musketeers: René Lacoste, Jean Borotra, Henri Cochet and Jacques Brugnon.
Almost a hundred years ago. In 1925, the French Open tennis tournament was created and it is only since 1928 that they have been held in the Roland-Garros stadium. This event, organized by the French Tennis Federation, then succeeded the French Championship created in 1891. At that time, it was reserved for players registered in French clubs, whether French or foreign. Venues that alternated to host the event were Stade Français, Parc de Saint-Cloud and Racing Club de France, in La Croix-Catelan. Max Decugis won the tournament no less than eight times, between 1903 and 1914. In 1925, the prestigious event took a new turn. At the time, on the French side, it was the golden age. Among the ladies, how not to mention Suzanne Lenglen, who has since given her name to one of the main courts on the site where the Grand Slam is still played today, on clay. Lenglen won no less than six titles, and more precisely between the years 1920 and 1926.
Suzanne Lenglen then Simonne Mathieu
At the time, she was a real star and the first in this sport. As the French won in 1925, she is therefore considered to be the very first winner of the French Open. After having therefore reoffended in 1926, Suzanne Lenglen then saw a first foreigner succeed her the following year. Indeed, in 1927, it was the Dutch Cornelia Bouman who won the tournament. But this does not mean the end of domination for the French. After Suzanne Lenglen, place to Simonne Mathieu. The latter has also, but more recently, given its name to one of the courts near Roland-Garros. During her career, she managed to play no less than eight finals on Parisian clay. The first having intervened during the year 1929. And by dint of persevering, Simonne Mathieu ended up triumphing, but after her seventh final and a first victory recorded during the year 1938, before retaining her title in 1939. Either the last final before the Second World War.
The Four Musketeers take it all
At the time of Suzanne Lenglen, among gentlemen, we note the emergence of four men in particular. And not the least, since it is then the famous “Four Musketeers”. The latter are none other than René Lacoste known as “the Crocodile”, Jean Borotra known as “the leaping Basque”, Henri Cochet known as “the Magician” and Jacques Brugnon known as “Toto”. In all, from 1922 to 1932, regarding the singles tournament, the four men compiled a total of ten titles. They are at the origin of the stadium dedicated to the defense of their title acquired in 1927 in the Davis Cup. This famous stadium bears the name of Roland-Garros. 1927 is the only edition of the Davis Cup where the four men were then all reunited. Five other titles then followed, until 1932. In 1929, during the final, René Lacoste could not be present, for health reasons. The Frenchman then stopped his career in the process. In the team, it is the young Christian Boussus, often called the “fifth musketeer”, who replaces him. As for the Grand Slam tournaments, in singles and doubles, their number of titles amounts to 40.
1934, the end of the Four Musketeers
In detail, this gives 18 in singles as well as 23 in doubles. Note in particular their impressive series of eleven consecutive major tournaments won, and more precisely between the 1926 edition of the French Open and the 1929 edition of the Wimbledon tournament. In 1933, Henri Cochet had then turned professional, while in 1934, it was the year that truly marked the end of an era and of the “Four Musketeers”, since Jacques Brugnon, older than his three other companions, decides to retire from sport, after a very last selection with the France team. For his part, Jean Borotra played doubles until 1947. But why did they then bear this nickname of “Four Musketeers”, this reference to the novel “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas? Quite simply because it referred to the aesthetics of their tennis, which particularly and strongly recalled the handling of the sword. This term to designate them appeared for the very first time in 1926, from the mouth of the former American champion Henry Slocum, the day before the Davis Cup final.
