Roland Garros (1888-1918) was a trailblazing World World I aviator and French war hero, after whom is named the principal stadium in Paris - France where each year one of the world's premier professional tennis tournaments is played.
Among many other recognitions, Garros is best remembered for helping to develop fighter planes capable of machine gun fire through the propeller, which helped France and the Allies win the war.
In 1928, when France and the famous "Four Musketeers" (French champions Rene Lacoste, Henry Cochet, Jean Borotra & Jacques Brugnon) prepared to defend their Davis Cup World Championship Title, the stadium was constructed and named after this celebrated war veteran.
The famous "red" clay courts are actually made of layers of sand and volcanic rocks, with a few inches of white limestone and red brick dust.
One of the unique features of the Roland Garros stadium is its relative small size, comprising of only 21 acres housing 21 courts and related tennis facilities, compared with most of the world's great tennis stadiums.
While comparatively small, the stadium and the Roland Garros event is readily and easily accessible to visitors and fans due to its proximity to the city center of Paris, one of the world's most majestic and beautiful cities.
