The Grand Slam (Tennis)
The Grand Slam tournaments, also called majors, are the four most important annual tennis events. They offer the most ranking points, prize money, public and media attention, the greatest strength and size of field, and greater number of best of sets for men.
- The Grand Slam itinerary consists of the Australian Open in mid January, the French Open in May and June, Wimbledon in June and July, and the US Open in August and September. Each tournament is played over a period of two weeks.
- The Australian and United States tournaments are played on hard courts, the French on clay, and Wimbledon on grass.
- Wimbledon is the oldest, founded in 1877, followed by the US in 1881, the French in 1891, and the Australian in 1905. However, of these four, only Wimbledon was a major before 1924/25, the time when all four became designated Grand Slam tournaments.
- The term Grand Slam also, and originally, refers to the achievement of winning all four major championships in a single calendar year within one of the five events: men's and women's singles; men's, women's, and mixed doubles. In doubles, one team may accomplish a Grand Slam playing together or one player may achieve it with different partners.
- The term "Grand Slam" without qualification refers to winning the four majors in a single calendar year.
- Winning the four majors in consecutive tournaments but not in the same year is known as a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam, while winning all four majors at any point during the course of a career is known as a Career Grand Slam.
- Winning the gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in addition to the four majors in a one calendar year is known as a "Golden Grand Slam" or more commonly the "Golden Slam". Also, winning the Year-End Championship (known as ATP World Tour Finals for men's singles and doubles disciplines, and WTA Tour Championships for both women's disciplines) in the same period is known as a "Super Slam".
- Together, all four Majors in all three disciplines (singles, doubles, and mixed doubles) are called a "boxed set" of Grand Slam titles. No male or female player has won all twelve events in one calendar year, although a "career boxed set" has been achieved by three female players during their careers.
Tournament details: The Grand Slam (Tennis)
1. Australian Open
- Dates: last fortnight of January
- Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne
- Current Men's Singles champion: Novak Djokovic
- Current Women's Singles champion: Angelique Kerber
2. French Open
- Dates: fortnight of late May / early June
- Venue: Stade Roland Garros, Paris
- Current Men's Singles champion: Stan Wawrinka
- Current Women's Singles champion: Serena Williams
3. Wimbledon Championships
- Dates: fortnight of late June / early July
- Venue: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London
- Current Men's Singles champion: Novak Djokovic
- Current Women's Singles champion: Serena Williams
4. US Open
- Dates: fortnight of late August / early September
- Venue: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York City
- Current Men's Singles champion: Novak Djokovic
- Current Women's Singles champion: Flavia Pennetta
Other Grand Slam tournaments
- ATP World Tour Finals
- WTA Tour Championships
- ATP Masters 1000
- WTA Premier tournaments
- Summer Olympics
- ATP 500 series
- ATP 250 series
- WTA International tournaments
- ATP Challenger Tour Finals
- ATP Challenger
- WTA 125s
- ITF Men's Circuit
- ITF Women's Circuit
- Wheelchair Tennis Masters
- Summer Paralympics
No ATP/WTA Rankings
- Davis Cup
- Fed Cup
- World Team Cup
- Hopman Cup