4 Top Clay Court Tournaments in Tennis - Championship Tennis Tours "Sixth Set" Blog 4 Top Clay Court Tournaments in Tennis 4 Top Clay Court Tournaments in Tennis The world’s leading tennis players and national teams are gearing up for clay season! Since the Masters tournament in Miami, players now turn to clay for the second grand slam of 2013. The Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, the Barcelona Open, the Rome Masters and the French Open are all highly anticipated events. Clay courts present a unique set of challenges for players; some excel on clay, while others struggle. Clay courts are considered “slow” and players utilize topspins to try and best their opponents. Clay courts tend to favor “baseliners” with a strong defensive game like Rafael Nadal , Roger Federer and Justine Henin . Here are overviews of the four major events of the season: Monte Carlo Rolex Masters | April 15 – April 21 This tournament celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2006. The first of three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments played on clay, this event is both a fan and a player favorite due to its incredible location.

It boasts a long tradition of champions including Spain’s Rafael Nadal winning an Open Era record 8th consecutive title in 2012 along with a mindblowing 44-1 event record. Barcelona Open | April 22 – April 28 Held at the oldest Spanish tennis club, the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona-1899, the Barcelona Open celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2012. It is considered one of the most important events in Barcelona, in Spanish tennis and in the clay court season. The past 10 editions have been won by Spaniards, with Rafael Nadal raising the trophy seven of the past eight years. Rome Masters | May 13 – May 19 The Internazionali BNL d’Italia features the very best elite tennis players at the Foro Italico in Rome. However, this event is more than just a tennis event; it is considered by many fans to be a total entertainment experience. The Rome Masters features fine food, high fashion and incredible shopping as well as celebrity musical performances. It is by far one of the most glamorous stops of the ATP World Tour.

French Open | May 26 – Jun 9 This time-honored tennis tournament is held over two weeks in Paris, France at the regal Stade Roland Garros. It is the second of the Grand Slam tennis tournaments on the tennis calendar and is considered the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world. The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that is still held on clay and it wraps up the spring clay court season with a flourish. What Is a Grand Slam Tennis Tournament? - Woman What Is a Grand Slam Tennis Tournament? by M.L. Rose Serena Williams on her way to victory at Wimbledon in 2012. If you’re an aspiring tennis pro who thinks big, your goal may be to win one of the Grand Slam tournaments: The French Open, Australian Open, U.S. Open or the queen of them all, Wimbledon. Winning a grand slam event brings you immediate fame and a nice payday, and perhaps more importantly, etches your name in the tennis history books forever. French Open The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament played on a clay court, which is a slower surface than the synthetic or grass courts of the other Grand Slam events.

French Open winners require stamina and must be accurate shotmakers to survive long rallies because the clay court limits the effectiveness of a power game. The French Open dates from 1891 -- 1897 for women. It was originally called the French Championships and was not open to foreigners. Non-French citizens began playing in 1925. The event moved to its current home, Roland Garros Stadium in Paris, in 1928. Women received less prize money than men until 2007, making the French Open the last Grand Slam event to equalize the men’s and women’s prizes. Australian Open Traditionally held in January -- in the Southern Hemisphere’s summer -- the Australian Open is the first Grand Slam tournament played each year. The event dates from 1905, although women first played in 1922. The tournament moved around Australia before settling in Melbourne in 1972. Margaret Court Arena, named for the 11-time Australian Open singles champion, is the event’s current home. The Australian Open was played on grass until 1987, then on synthetic courts.

In 2008 the tournament switched to a Plexicushion surface, which is similar to the U.S. Open’s courts but plays a bit slower. U.S. Open The U.S. Open began as the U.S. National Singles Championship, for men only, held in Rhode Island in 1881. The first U.S. women’s championships were held in Philadelphia in 1887. Both events moved to Forest Hills, New York, in 1915. The U.S. Open moved a few miles down the road to Flushing Meadows in 1978. It’s now played in Arthur Ashe Stadium, which is part of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, named for the four-time U.S. Open singles champion. The U.S. Open was a grass court event through 1974, was played on clay for three years, then moved to DecoTurf -- a relatively fast synthetic surface -- in 1978. Wimbledon Officially called “The Championships, Wimbledon,” tennis’ most prestigious event has been held at Wimbledon’s All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since 1877.

A women’s event, still referred to as the “ladies’ singles,” was added in 1884. The tournament is played on fast grass courts rhat reward a power game. Although baseliners such as three-time Wimbledon singles champion Chris Evert can succeed, Wimbledon champions more often feature a strong serve and play an attacking style. The two main courts, where the championship matches are held, are only used during the Wimbledon tournament. Members of the British royal family often attend Wimbledon matches. Scoring All four Grand Slam women’s events employ a best-of-three-set format. If one of the first two sets is tied at 6-6, the set is determined by a tiebreaker in which the first player to reach 7 points, with at least a 2-point margin, wins the set. The U.S. Open also uses a third-set tiebreaker. If the score reaches 6-6 in the third set of the other Grand Slam tournaments, competitors continue playing until one woman achieves a two-game margin.

Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams top French Open field; play begins May 22 | Sporting News Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams top French Open field; play begins May 22 Use left or right buttons to navigate. Swipe left or right to navigate. Start Slideshow Use left or right buttons to navigate. Swipe left or right to navigate. May. 19, 2016 Share: Roger Federer's future has arrived, and it's not promising. Rafael Nadal is the King of Clay, but his reign seems stuck in the mud. As tennis prepares for the 2016 French Open, one name becomes clear when considering title favorites. Novak Djokovic. The world's best men's player was one event shy of a true Grand Slam in 2015. The missing piece was the French Open, where Djokovic lost to Stan Wawrinka . It's time for Djokovic to seal his legend. Runner-up the past two years and three times since 2012, Djokovic arrives at Roland Garros the man to beat. Play begins May 22 on the clay courts of Paris.

The men's winner will be decided on June 5. Federer announced Thursday he will not play, ending his streak of Grand Slam appearances that began in 1997. "I have been making steady progress, but I am still not 100 percent," Federer said. "I feel I might be taking an unnecessary risk by playing in this event before I am really ready. This decision was not easy to make, but I took it to ensure I could play the remainder of the season and help to extend the rest of my career." On the women's side, Serena Williams defends her title . But Williams is much more a question mark than Djokovic. Williams enters the tournament with 21 career Grand Slam titles, one shy of Steffi Graf's record total. Word that Caroline Wozniacki and Belinda Bencic withdrew because of injuries means a thinner field. That includes the absence of former champion Maria Sharapova. MORE: Sharapova awaits suspension decision There are five solid players behind No. 1-ranked Williams.

They are Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, Angelique Kerber of Germany, who won the Australian Open; Spain's Garbiñe Muguruza, a rising star; Victoria Azarenka of Belarus; and combative Simona Halep of Romania. Kerber, Azarenka and Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Williams in the past 12 months. Williams looks in form but aches and pains of a deep tournament run could be troublesome. Here are key facts ahead of the 2016 French Open. (Getty Images) 1 4 When is the French Open? Play begins May 22 with 128 singles players in both the men's and women's fields. There are neither lights nor a roof at Roland Garros, so all matches as in the daytime and depend on good weather. Previous When is the draw for the French Open? Full schedule of competition will be announced May 20. Barring withdrawals, the top 10 men's seeds will be: 1. Novak Djokovic; 2. Andy Murray; 3. . Stan Wawrinka; 4. Rafael Nadal; 5.

Kei Nishikori; 6. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga; 7. Tomas Berdych; 8. Milos Raonic; 9. Richard Gasquet; 10. Marin Cilic. The top-seeded American players: John Isner, 17; and Jack Sock, 23. Barring withdrawals, the top 10 women's seeds will be: 1. Serena Williams; 2. Agnieszka Radwanska; 3. Angelique Kerber; 4. Garbiñe Muguruza; 5. Victoria Azarenka; 6. Simona Halep; 7. Roberta Vinci; 8. Timea Bacsinszky; 9. Flavia Pennetta; 10. Venus Williams. Previous 4 4 Who are the players to watch at the French Open? In addition to Djokovic, and with Federer unable to play, attention goes to defending champion Wawrinka. But the man to watch is Nadal, who won nine times between 2005 and 2014. Spaniards dominated the French Open in recent decades.

It will be interesting to watch Britain's Andy Murray after his amicable split with coach Amalie Mauresmo. Williams hasn't won a major since Wimbledon in 2015, and there are questions about how she will hold up against a field of rising challengers. Chief among them: Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber. American Madison Keys will be in the middle of the draw. Previous Worlds Most Famous Tennis Tournaments Worlds Most Famous Tennis Tournaments The four most famous tennis tournaments in the world are known as the Grand Slam tournaments or simply as the Majors. They are the the Wimbledon Championships, the French Open, the Australian Open and the US Open. These tournaments are the most significant in the world in relationship to tradition, world ranking, public attention and prize money. The Australian Open takes place at Melbourne Park during the Australian summer in January, making it the first of the Grand Slam tournaments to be held each year. The Australian Open was first held in 1905, and it was held on grass courts until 1987. Beginning in 1988, the tournament has been contested on hard courts.

Its current champions are Roger Federer (men's singles), Serena Williams (women's singles), Bob and Mike Bryan (men's doubles), Serena and Venus Williams (women's doubles), and Cara Black and Leander Paes (mixed doubles). The next Grand Slam tournament to be held on the annual tennis calendar is the French Open. The tournament, takes place over the course of two weeks in the spring, from late May to early June. The French Open, held in Paris, is the only tournament of the Majors that is held on a clay court, as it has been since it began in 1891. Because clay is a slow-moving surface, the French Open is often regarded as the most physically difficult of the Grand Slam tournaments. Its current champions are Rafael Nadal (men's singles), Francesca Schiavone (women's singles), Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic (men's doubles), Serena and Venus Williams (women's doubles), and Katarina Srebotnik and Nenad Zimonjic (mixed doubles). The third Grand Slam tournament is perhaps the most well-known tennis tournament in the world, and it also has the distinction of being the oldest.

The Wimbledon Championships has been held since 1877 in the London suburb of Wimbledon, from late June to early July. Wimbledon places a strong emphasis on tradition: it is the only one of the Majors still held on grass, and spectators eat strawberries and cream, a traditional English dessert, while watching the games. Wimbledon's current champions are Rafael Nadal (men's singles), Serena Williams (women's singles), Jürgen Melzer and Philipp Petzschner (men's doubles), Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova (women's doubles), and Leander Paes and Cara Black (mixed doubles). The final Grand Slam tournament of the annual tennis calendar is the most recent addition to the Majors. The US Open began as the U.S. National Championship in 1881, but it did not join the Grand Slam tournaments until 1987. The US Open is held during the weeks before and after Labor Day weekend, from late August to early September. The tournament has changed its courts several times over the years, beginning with grass, then moving to clay in 1975, and finally to hard courts in 1978.

The current champions are Juan Martin del Potro (men's singles), Kim Clijsters (women's singles), Lukáš Dlouhý and Leander Paes (men's doubles), Serena and Venus Williams (women's doubles), and Carly Gullickson and Travis Parrott (mixed doubles). The Fifth Major | TENNIS.com The Fifth Major by: Peter Bodo March 14, 2013 In my last conversation with Ion Tiriac, the man behind the blue clay at last year’s Madrid Open, he characteristically cut right to the chase while we were talking about the future of his tournament and said, “Where is it written that there can be only four Grand Slam tournaments?” For some reason, the remark stayed with me, less because I think there ought to be more tournaments officially recognized as “majors” than because the rhetorical question is a good one—it really illustrates how our flotilla of four Grand Slams evolved more or less by accident, yet ended evolution. As fond as I am of the majors, I can’t think of anything game-related that calls for those four tournaments to be the “crown jewels” of tennis—other than tradition.

It’s not like, say, the Super Bowl, or the World Cup, a pair of events that are supreme in a truly relevant way: They determine an indisputable champion in their respective sports. That can’t be said of any of the majors. Also, the four majors no longer reflect the geopolitical realities of tennis to nearly the same degree they once did. They just happened to be the tournaments that were in the right place at the right time—and with the right leadership—as the game evolved. You tell me why Paris, and not Rome, Madrid, or Frankfurt, ended up hosting the clay-court major. We understand these subtexts, which is why the subject of a “fifth major” comes up from time to time. Butch Buchholz, the mastermind behind the Miami Masters, hoped to turn his event into that elusive “fifth major.” He subsequently had to tamp down his enthusiasm and settle for “the Grand Slam of Latin America.” Tiriac would like for Madrid to become that coveted fifth major. And the ATP has tried to shape its year-end World Tour Finals into the equivalent of a Grand Slam event, while standing apart from the majors for a variety of reasons—including tennis politics. These efforts were not exclusively commercial or self-interested.

People want to build new things. They want to earn accolades as pioneers and game-changers. They want to leave a legacy. In a basic way, the most successful people in tennis also hope to move the game forward. It’s fair to ask: Why should we be stuck with the same four Grand Slams when so many other major sports have continued to evolve, and find new audiences and approaches to how they do new business? Well, I’m here to tell you that we don’t need a fifth major. We already have one. It’s going on right now, in the California desert at Indian Wells. At the moment, the tournament may not meet all the requirements of a major, but every one of those shortcomings (beginning with the 10-day format and the byes in the draw) are an easy fix—should the lords of tennis have the will to do it. The big stuff, it’s all already all in place. The main stadium at Indian Wells seats 16,100—the second largest dedicated tennis stadium in the world, after Arthur Ashe stadium in New York (and another new permanent stadium is on the way).

The spacious site covers over 50 acres, and the tournament this year is sure to surpass its attendance record of 370,000 (by comparison, Wimbledon’s attendance last year was 484,805). The tournament draws those fans from a deep, traditional, knowledgeable local pool, as well as visitors to the popular Palm Springs area tourist destinations. And in Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle and one of the richest men on the planet, the tournament has an owner who can act as unilaterally as he would like, much like other successful entrepreneur-promoters, including George Steinbrenner and Mark Cuban. Ellison is utterly dedicated to continuing the spectacular growth rate established by the original owners of the event, former ATP pros Charlie Pasarell and Ray Moore. The potential is enormous. For those reasons, the ITF and the four self-interested Grand Slam nations (Australia, France, England and the United States) are crazy not to embrace Indian Wells as a major. Can you imagine the long-term rewards for tennis if the required tweaks (starting with a two-week, 128-player draw) were implemented?

Sure, a fifth major in Indian Wells would be somewhat inconvenient for, among others, the Miami Masters and the tournaments that immediately precede Indian Wells. But the long term gains for tennis in general probably would substantially outweigh the costs to the affected constituents. Begin with the buzz and instant credibility generated by the decision to bestow Grand Slam status on a tournament for the first time in over a century. I’ll also say this—if Indian Wells continues to grow so robustly, it will make the four traditional majors look like low performers. And that’s another good reason to bring the tournament into the Grand Slam fold. Some people might automatically bridle at the idea of another Grand Slam, or another major in the U.S.—wouldn’t Spain, and perhaps even Argentina, be more deserving?—or even at the notion of another hard court mega-event. But let’s look at some of the circumstances: 1. The lag time between the Australian Open and Roland Garros is too long, and the back-to-back hard-court Masters at Indian Wells and Miami don’t amount to the best scheduling. 2.

Rafael Nadal may be on a personal, anti-hard court crusade—although he’s been a voluble supporter of Indian Wells—but his peers in the Big Four as well as other marquee names aren’t cementophobes. Hard courts are not just here to stay, they will probably continue to dominate the tour for many reasons, including economic ones. 3. While American success in tennis is on the wane, tennis fans in the nation are abundant and wealthy. You could argue for another Grand Slam in the fall in Asia (it would also be on a hard court) for a number of reasons, including promoting tennis multi-culturalism. But a real fan base and tennis culture doesn’t yet exist there. Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo host fine tournaments, but none of them have anything like the resources, global media positioning, and track record of Indian Wells. 4. We know that the fall circuit isn’t going to dissolve into a utopian three-month off-season some would like to see.

At the same time, players don’t really want to be preparing for yet another stressful Grand Slam after the concentrated three-and-a-half month summer tennis “season.” Let’s also look at the current Masters tournaments, and see how they would shape up as candidates should the world suddenly demand a fifth major: Miami: Although it was more successful out of the gate than Indian Wells, the west-coast event has been pulling away lately. European players—who rule the game, if you haven’t noticed—really prefer Indian Wells to Miami. The Florida event has successfully established great relations with South American players and—more important—an enormous base of Spanish-speaking fans. But trying to expand on Key Biscayne would be fraught with legal and political obstacles. Monte Carlo: The facilities are already stressed with a one-week event at this private club. Besides, would you really want to start the clay-court season with a major? Madrid: Tiriac has aspirations to challenge Roland Garros, but it seems a perverse, doomed effort. He’s got the facility (the Caja Magica), but not the crowds (thus far). And really, would the world welcome another clay-court major mere weeks before the start of the French Open? Rome: See above.

The big European clay-court events all have a common problem—they’re already part of a highly successful “Roland Garros Series” that leads up to the clay-court major. Leave well enough alone, most people would say. Toronto/Montreal: Nobody, but nobody, wants to play two Grand Slams during the peak of the North American summer, especially not having just endured the Roland Garros/Wimbledon double. Cincinnati: See above. Shanghai: The ATP abandoned Shanghai as the site of the World Tour Finals some years ago, partly because the event just didn’t resonate in the tennis capitals of the world. And as I wrote above, the players aren’t looking to have a major in the fall. That market needs to mature. Paris (Bercy): John McEnroe used to say that the tour ought to have an indoor major, but the logistical problems posed by having a two-week indoor event are formidable. Besides, who would want an indoor major followed by the ATP World Tour Finals on an already overcrowded schedule? Certainly not the players. So there you have it. Let me repeat that while I don’t think the game desperately needs another major, I believe it already has something very close to one in Indian Wells.

Why not exploit this tremendous asset by recognizing it as such? It wouldn’t take a whole lot of figuring, or impose a whole lot of hardship, to take full advantage of the potential. It’s time to recognize and act on the opportunity. French Open washed out for first time in 16 years | TENNIS.com French Open washed out for first time in 16 years by: AP May 30, 2016 None PARIS (AP) Not so much the French Open as the French closed. For the first time in 16 years, unrelenting rain Monday washed out a full day of play at the only Grand Slam tennis venue without a retractable roof over its show court, clogging the schedule with unfinished and postponed matches and prompting the frustrated tournament director to plead - again - for a roof as soon as possible. ''Our roof is a necessity,'' Guy Forget said, as players were sent back to their hotels and thousands of would-be spectators told to apply for refunds for their unused tickets.

''I'm a bit annoyed today, to say the least.'' Chopped and changed plans to modernize Roland Garros now call for a retractable roof by 2020 over Court Philippe Chatrier, as part of a modernization of the cramped clay-court venue in the west of Paris. But opposition and legal action from local residents and environmental activists has slowed the ambitious project, which would expand Roland Garros into botanical gardens next door. Tournament organizers hope a ruling expected in September from the Council of State, France's highest administrative authority, will allow work to proceed. With damp spectators sheltering where they could from the downpours and no letup forecast, tournament organizers announced in the early afternoon that there would be no play at all for the first time since May 30, 2000. ''We knew today was going to be horrible and it went beyond what we had imagined. That's why we sent back the players so early,'' Forget said. If the weather breaks Tuesday, matches will start three hours earlier than initially planned and be spread over more courts. Despite forecasts of more rain, Forget said he is ''pretty positive'' there will be play.

The schedule for Tuesday now has top-ranked Novak Djokovic against 14th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut in the first match on Chatrier, playing for a place in the quarterfinals. They will be followed by defending champion Serena Williams in her delayed fourth-round match against 18th-seeded Elina Svitolina. Venus Williams' match against 2015 semifinalist Timea Bacsinszky was supposed to have been played on Chatrier on Monday but was rescheduled as the third match Tuesday on Court Suzanne Lenglen. The first men's quarterfinals are also scheduled: Second-seeded Andy Murray against Richard Gasquet is the third match on Chatrier, and defending champion Stan Wawrinka against Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain is scheduled last on Lenglen. For the tournament to have the singles finals over the weekend as planned, players could be asked to play on consecutive days, as opposed to every two days, which is usual when conditions are ideal. That should not be a huge problem in women's singles, which play best-of-three sets, but could be tougher on men if their singles matches go to five sets.

Forget didn't rule out that the finals could also be postponed. ''We are not that far back on schedule,'' Forget said. ''If they do have, eventually at one point, to play two matches, then I guess the fittest guy will be rewarded for it.'' The backlog also includes two fourth-round women's singles matches - Simona Halep vs. Samantha Stosur, and Tsvetana Pironkova vs. Agnieszka Radwanksa - that were pulled off court unfinished on Sunday evening because of rain and darkness. Eight other fourth-round singles matches - four men's and four women's - also didn't get started Monday. Also postponed were more than 50 matches in the doubles and junior tournaments. There was no guarantee that Tuesday would be better: Weather forecasts for coming days were grim, with more downpours expected Tuesday before a hoped-for break in the clouds Wednesday. With a new retractable roof scheduled to be available at this year's U.S. Open, the French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament without a structure for play to continue under rain. ''We have talked about that roof in Paris 15 years ago already.

It is a long process,'' Forget said at a news conference as rain beat down outside. ''For those in our country who are still doubting the necessity to expand, to modernize our stadium, I think we have right now the fact, the proof, that it is a necessity and we have to do it.'' Grand Slam 2016: Tennis' Four Majors By The Numbers Grand Slam 2016: Tennis' Four Majors By The Numbers {{article.article.images.featured.caption}} Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Full Bio The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer. Loading ... With reporting by Danielle Rossingh Tennis has come full circle with the start of the 2016 Australian Open. After Serena Williams nearly captured the Calendar Year Grand Slam and Novak Djokovic capped off his historic season by winning the US Open in 2015, the 2016 season is in full swing with early rounds already underway in Melbourne. Roger Federer of Switzerland makes a forehand return to Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan.

20, 2016.(AP Photo/Vincent Thian) As the top seeds begin their quests for glory under the summer sun at Melbourne Park, let's take an in-depth look at the numbers at the center of the four fortnights which form the backbone of the ATP and WTA tour schedules. Each of the Majors claims to be the best tournament in tennis, offering spectators the best tennis they’ll ever see. Fierce competition can erupt among the events over anything and everything, from spectators and roofs to television ratings and prize money. None desires to fall behind. So, does Wimbledon's reputation as the most prestigious Major stack up with its purse? How do the courts and amenities compare in Paris and Melbourne? Does Arthur Ashe Stadium's high capacity push the US Open ahead of the pack in terms of attendance? Read on to find out... Novak Djokovic of Serbia poses with the trophy after defeating Andy Murray of Britain in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015.

(AP Photo/Vincent Thian) AUSTRALIAN OPEN Typically Played: Final two weeks of January Surface: Hard court (blue Plexicussion, plays medium) Night Matches: Yes Total Staff: 8,412 2015 Attendance: 703,899 Weather Protocols: Routinely the hottest of the Majors, Australia has used the Wet Bulb Global Temperature (WBGT, a "feels like" measurement that includes wind and humidity as well as temperature) to inform its Extreme Heat Policy since 2014. The policy can be enacted once temperature reaches 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), and the WBGT reading exceeds 32.5. Chair umpires have final discretion.

Revenue (2015): A$254,590,000 ($174,631,000) [Made record A$11.97M ($8.211M) profit] Total Purse (2015): A$40,000,000 ($27,437,000) Championship Prize Money: A$3,100,000 ($2,126,000) Unique Traits: Australia is often referred to as the "Happy Slam" because players, press and spectators are known to have such a good time. In possibly unrelated news, media members are given a bottle of whiskey with their credentials, and Melbourne is the only Slam to be sponsored by a gambling house (William Hill). Minutiae: The Aussie Open overtook the US Open as the most-attended Slam last year, registering 12,000 more spectators over its two weeks. Given the extreme heat that hits Melbourne in January, the tournament boasts roofs on all three of its show courts (Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena and Hisense Arena).

Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka holds the cup after defeating Serbia's Novak Djokovic in their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 7, 2015 in Paris. Wawrinka won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) FRENCH OPEN Location: Stade Roland Garros, Paris Typically Played: Final week of May, first week of June Surface: Red clay (plays slow) Night Matches: No Total Staff: 10,000 2015 Attendance: 463.328 Weather Protocols: As the red clay absorbs water well, rain is rarely a deterrent to play at Roland Garros. However, as championed by the WTA, women and girls’ singles players can leave the courts for a 10 minute break between the second and third sets when the Heat Stress Index—which measures air temperature, humidity and surface temperature—is at or above 30.1 Celsius (86.18 Fahrenheit). The French Open shares this protocol with the following two Slams.

A similar rule for men has been discussed for years by the ATP, to no avail. Revenue (2015): €187,300,000 ($204,719,000) Total Purse (2015): €28,028,600 ($30,365,000) Championship Prize Money: €1,800,00 ($1,967,000) Unique Traits: The tournament's distinctive red clay and Parisian flare have attracted French politicians like Jacque Chirac, European royalty, and pop stars such as Prince—who sat in the Presidential Box last year. The slow play of the clay, which blunts powerful serves and groundstrokes, has made this tournament elusive for some of tennis' greats, including Pete Sampras and Novak Djokovic. Minutiae: The smallest of the Grand Slam tournaments, the French Open has been exploring options to alleviate its cramped confines (21 acres) at Stade Roland Garros for years.

There is major pushback against any grounds expansion—including a roof for Court Philippe Chatrier from a group of local residents, environmental groups and politicians. However, Paris is bidding to host the 2024 Olympics; there is hope the city's bid for the world's largest multi-sport event will influence construction positively. FILE - In this July 11, 2015, file photo, Serena Williams, of the United States, holds up the trophy after winning the women's singles final against Garbine Muguruza, of Spain, at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London. For the fourth time, Williams has been named The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON Location: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, London Typically Played: First two weeks of July (as of 2015) Surface: Grass (plays medium-fast) Total Staff: 6,000 2015 Attendance: 484,391 Weather Protocols: Closure of the Centre Court roof is at the discretion of tournament officials.

In the interest of keeping Wimbledon an outdoor event, the roof is rarely closed ahead of a match unless the weather forecast is truly bleak. As for heat, women and girls’ singles players can leave the courts for a 10 minute break between the second and third sets when the Heat Stress Index is at or above 30.1 Celsius (86.18 Fahrenheit). Revenue (2014): £169,700,000 ($240,548,000) [It is the most profitable Slam, with £56.1M ($79.521M) made in 2014] Total Purse (2015): £26,750,000 ($37,918,000) Championship Prize Money: £1,880,000 ($2,665,000) Unique Traits: In addition to the grass, strawberries & cream is a huge tradition at Wimbledon. The venue sold 142,000 portions of English strawberries last year. The Championships is also the only Slam organized by a private club, rather than a national tennis association.

The All England Club is very exclusive, boasting only about 500 members. Adding to this exclusivity is the presence of the Royal Box, known to occasionally host Queen Elizabeth as well as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Minutiae: Famously, a retractable roof was added to Centre Court—the most storied show court in tennis—in 2009, to combat delays arising from the notoriously rainy English summer. Currently, another roof is being constructed over Court 1, the second-largest show court at the All England Club. It will be ready in 2019. Flavia Pennetta, of Italy, right, and Roberta Vinci, of Italy, pose with their awards after Pennetta won their women's championship match of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, in New York.

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig) UNITED STATES OPEN Location: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Queens, New York Typically Played: Final week of August, first week of September Surface: Hard court (DecoTurf, plays medium-fast) Night Matches: Yes Total Staff: 9,000 2015 Attendance: 691,280 Weather Protocols: Play is often suspended due to rain at the US Open. Arthur Ashe Stadium is undergoing changes to alleviate this, but no new protocols are in place as of yet. The US Open is usually the hottest Major outside of Australia, but also has no extreme heat policy other than the WTA's policy for women and girls' singles players. Revenue (2013): $253,000,000 Total Purse (2015): $42,253,400 Championship Prize Money: $3,300,000 Unique Traits: Located in Flushing, Queens, the USTA National Tennis Center is the farthest venue from the city center of all the Slams (though it boasts easy access to Midtown Manhattan via the 7 Subway line).

The US Open is also the only venue in which players can smell hamburgers on the court. Minutiae: Capable of accommodating 23,000 spectators, Arthur Ashe Stadium is the largest show court in the world. The Men's Final was rain-delayed to Monday for four straight years beginning in 2008, prompting the USTA to approve construction of a roof. The 6,500 ton superstructure over Ashe will be finished in time for this year's tournament. Aliko Carter is a contributor for Forbes and the SportsMoney Blog. With an eye on community impacts, he covers the NBA, sports biz and philanthropy. Find him on Twitter @alikogitare .

Question: What is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament to be played on clay courts?
Answer: French Open