Tennis - is a very popular game sport that is gaining the hearts of fans around the globe.Almost all of us have heard the phrase "grand slam", and the head certainly an association with tennis.
What is the Grand Slam?
Grand Slam Competitions are the most important world tennis event and consist of the four competitions:
- US Open - the open championship of the United States.
- Roland Garros - French Open championship.
- Australian Open - Australian Open.
- Wimbledon - the British Open Championship.
Grand Slam in 2014, as well as tournaments in recent years, takes place in the next calendar prioritization:
- Melbourne, Australia - January, hardovy cover court.
- Paris, France - May-June, primer.
- Wimbledon (a suburb of London), United Kingdom - June-July, turf.
- New York, United States - August-September, hardovy cover.
In the event that an athlete manages to win all four tennis tournaments, it becomes the owner of the Grand Slam.
Features Data tournaments
known that the name of the most famous tennis tournament was due to the bridge, the card game, in which the term is understood as a "complete success."But the main feature is the symbolism of the prize for winning, which has no material component.
tennis tournament of the series in singles and doubles for men played to win in three sets.In the first four sets with the score 6: 6 played a tie-break, where you must win to win 7 goals, subject to two goals with his rival.In the fifth set is necessary advantage over the enemy in two games.The exception is the US Open, where in the fifth set at equality indicators also play a tie-break.
win Grand Slam Tournament is the most tempting target for every professional tennis player.This can be achieved only collected four titles in the hands of the winner at the end of one season.The athlete, who manages it, becomes the owner of the prestigious title of the corresponding year.The main difficulty in achieving this goal is that each season using a coating of a different material.That is verified true skill players.
History and development
oldest tournament series is Wimbledon, which was first held in solitary male winner in 1877.And already in 1881 in Newport hosted the US Open.France held the first international competitions in 1891, but the status of the championship has already been assigned to them in 1925.The youngest is considered the Australian Open, which originates from 1905.All these tournaments start as an amateur, and the first Grand Slam tournament, which was attended by professional players - a French championship in 1968.
1. Australian Open
major Australian tennis tournament - is the Australian Open, which is called the Australian Open.Calendar the first tournament of the series held in Melbourne in a specially designed and built for tennis competitions park.On twenty acres of Melbourne Park created 24 game courts hardovy coating.Matches on them annually visited by more than 500 thousand spectators.
athletes, victorious in the men's singles tournament, handed the cup, named after the famous Australian tennis player early twentieth century Norman Brookes (Norman Brookes Challenge Cup).In the women's tournament, the main prize is a trophy Daphne Akgerst - multiple winner of Australian Open (Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup).
In addition, the competition is held in the pair of male and female discharges, as well as youth and veterans tournaments.
2. Rolland Garos
Tennis Tournament held in France, is called «Rolland Garos» (the French Open).These competitions are held on the clay courts, which can accommodate up to 15,000 spectators (main court - Philippe Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen).The total number of courts involved in the tournament - eighteen, however, the main matches are held in three.
on the French among professional tennis players awards play in singles and doubles male and female discharges, as well as among youth and veterans.
3. Wimbledon Championships
most famous and rich tradition is British tennis tournament Wimbledon Championships, got its name from the London suburb.
feature of this tournament is the turf courts, which is a serious indicator of the professionalism of the players, and also requires painstaking care, haircuts and irrigation.The total number of courts - nineteen pieces, the main matches are held on three courts - a central, first and second.
Tennis tournament Wimbledon Championships is characterized by conservatism, which is expressed in veneration of tradition and a special competitive etiquette that remain practically unchanged since the first of the British Championships.For women treated here, "Mrs." and "Miss" and the winner is awarded a silver tray.Appeal to men strictly by name, and the winner is awarded a cup of gilded silver.Also, the competitors are treated to the local harvest strawberries with cream.
Regulation provides singles tournament for men and women, steam rooms for women, men and mixed competitions and contests of young men and veterans.
4. US Open
final tennis Grand Slam tournament held in New York at the National Tennis Center USTA.Number of courts serving the competition, is eighteen.All are coated Hard.The crowd was the main court, named in honor of the winner of the US Open Arthur Ashe (Arthur Ashe Stadium), can accommodate more than 22 thousand spectators.
According to the rules of the tournament, as well as in the British championship, held the women's singles and men's, women's pairs, men's and mixed competitions and contests of young men and veterans.
who had a Grand Slam?
in the history of Grand Slam Tournament managed to conquer not many athletes.Bitwise their list is as follows:
There is also the concept of a career Grand Slam, which represents a victory in all four tournaments, but in different years.
Golden Grand Slam - the top career
even more significant achievement is the Golden Grand Slam, which is an intangible-winning athlete, who won all the Grand Slam tournaments and the Olympic Games.To date, the list of owners of the Golden Grand Slam as follows:
tournament record
greatest number of victories in Grand Slam events at the Swiss Roger Federer.The total number of seventeen won tournaments, including seven wins at Wimbledon Championships, five victories in the US Open, four - at the Australian Open and one - to Rolland Garos.
also more than ten victories have the tennis players:
- Pete Sampras - 14 triumphs.
- Rafael Nadal - 12 wins.
- Roy Emerson - 12 wins.
- Bjorn Borg - 11 wins.
- Rodney Laver - 11 wins.
main champion among women - Margaret Smith Court.She won 24 times in Grand Slam tournaments (11 times in Australia, 5 times in France and the United States, three times in the UK).Not much of it behind Steffi Graf, who has 22 victories, including: 4 - Australia, 6 - in France, 7 - on the courts of the United Kingdom and 5 - in the United States.
Grand Slam - one of the most popular events of our time, the contemplation of which brings indescribable pleasure.
