The key milestones of the calendar as told by Gianni Clerici
∎ Monte Carlo Masters (April 6–13, 2025)
Founded in 1897, the Monte Carlo Masters is one of the nine Masters 1000 tournaments. Since 1928, the matches have been played on the red clay courts of the Monte-Carlo Country Club, commissioned and financed by American patron George Pierce Butler, designed by architect Charles Letrosne, just outside the borders of the Principality, in the municipality of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
For further reading:
• Monte-Carlo Country Club – in the spirit of Suzanne Lenglen
• Montecarlo: a tournament quite… Italian
∎ Internazionali d’Italia (May 7–18, 2025)
Founded in 1930 (the same year as Gianni), this Masters 1000 tournament has been played on the clay courts of the Foro Italico in Rome since the 1950 edition. That year also marked the beginning of Clerici’s chronicles of Italy’s premier tennis event. In 2010, for the tournament’s 80th anniversary, Rizzoli published the book Gianni Clerici agli internazionali d’Italia: cronache dello Scriba 1930-2010, a collection of his best articles on the capital’s tennis tournament.
For further reading:
• 25 maggio 1976: “Panatta the Miraculous”
• A spellbinding moment in the capital: Jasmine’s spring, forty years after Reggi
∎ Roland Garros (May 25 – June 8, 2025)
Founded in 1891, Roland Garros is the second Grand Slam of the calendar. Originally called the Championnat de France de tennis, it was opened to players worldwide in 1925. The tournament is held in Paris between May and June on the clay courts of Stade Roland Garros, named after the aviator of the same name. Rafael Nadal, honored with a commemorative tile, holds the record with 14 singles titles.
For further reading:
• ‘Er Francia’ shines in Paris: Nicola Pietrangeli, Grand Slam Champion
∎ Wimbledon Championships (June 30 – July 13, 2025)
Founded in 1877, Wimbledon is the oldest and most prestigious tournament in the world. It is the third Grand Slam of the ATP calendar. Matches are played on the grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club. Tradition dictates that players dress strictly in white. The tournament record holders are Roger Federer and Martina Navrátilová, with 8 and 9 titles respectively.
For further reading: