2011

Highlights of the tournament

A new era is born with a Chinese player winning Roland-Garros women’s singles. 29-year-old Na Li becomes the first ever player from China to win the singles not only at Roland Garros but also in any Grand Slam. In the final, she takes down defending champion Francesca Schiavone, sending shockwaves through the world of tennis. 116 million people watch the final back in her native China, breaking the record for a live broadcast of a match in this and indeed any country. 

Nadal meanwhile wins his sixth Roland Garros and at the age of 25, equalling the singles titles record held by Björn Borg which up until a few years ago had looked untouchable. As was the case in 2006, 2007 and 2008, the Majorcan defeats his great rival Roger Federer in the final. In the previous round, the semi-final between Federer and Novak Djokovic, who was unbeaten since the beginning of the season and had managed 41 wins in a row, proves to be one of the most memorable matches ever. 

The event
Video highlights