As the 2021 French Open, otherwise known as the Roland-Garros, gets underway, let’s take a look at one of tennis’s most prestigious tournaments and the beautiful trophies that are up for grabs.
Played at the Stade Roland-Garros in Paris, and named after the famous French aviator, the Grand Slam tournament is the only one to be played on clay, which makes it extremely physically demanding as players attempt to control the higher bounce that clay gives. There are five trophies in total to be won, with fierce competition for each.
The Musketeer’s Cup is awarded to the men’s singles champion, and the silver bowl is highly decorated, with intertwined vine leaves and swan-shaped handles. The winners’ names have been engraved on the marble base since 1891. For the women’s singles champion, the beautiful Suzanne-Lenglen Cup is presented. Named after six-times Roland-Garros champion Suzanne Lenglen, the trophy stands proud on an ebony base, with curved handles and a crowned lid that sits upon the silver bowl.
The Jaques-Brugnon Cup is awarded to the men’s doubles and is decorated with appliqué and a technique known as fluting. The women’s doubles champions receive the Simonne-Mathieu Cup, a round silver bowl with two small handles on the lip, which sits upon a double engraved plinth.
Last, but not least, the mixed doubles trophy is the Marcel-Barnard Cup, an oval shaped silver bowl with a beautiful carved frieze, decorative mouldings and two handles.
All of these engraved awards are named after some of the very best tennis players that the Roland-Garros has been home to over the years.
