2004 French Open

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2004 French Open
Date:   24 May – 6 June
Edition:   103rd
Category:   Grand Slam (ITF)
Surface:   Clay
Location:   Paris (XVIe), France
Venue:   Stade Roland Garros
Men's Singles
Argentina Gastón Gaudio
Women's Singles
Russia Anastasia Myskina
Men's Doubles
Belgium Xavier Malisse / Belgium Olivier Rochus
Women's Doubles
Spain Virginia Ruano Pascual / Argentina Paola Suárez
Mixed Doubles
France Tatiana Golovin / France Richard Gasquet
French Open
 < 2003 2005 > 

The 2004 French Open was the 103rd edition of the tournament. Gastón Gaudio became the first men's Open Era Grand Slam title winner to save match points (2) in the final; the last time that had happened was 70 years earlier. Gaudio also became the first Argentine man since Guillermo Vilas to win a grand slam, in 1979. Fellow Argentine Guillermo Coria, widely regarded as the favourite and best clay court player in the world coming into the tournament, was seeded 3rd for the event, whereas Gaudio was unseeded (ranked 44th[1]) and with only two titles to his name, both of which he had won over two years before. After winning the first two sets convincingly, Coria began suffering from leg cramps. Gaudio won the next two sets; however, Coria came back and was up two breaks of serve in the final set. Coria had two match points at 6–5 before Gaudio prevailed 0–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1, 8–6. Gaudio also became the first man to win a Grand Slam tournament final after being bagelled in the first set. The tournament was noted for the excellent performance of the Argentine players – in addition to the two finalists, there were a semifinalist (David Nalbandian) and a quarterfinalist (Juan Ignacio Chela). It was also highlighted by a first round match between Fabrice Santoro and Arnaud Clément, lasting 6 hours and 33 minutes and ending in Clement's defeat 6–4, 6–3, 6–7, 3–6, 16–14, setting a new record for the longest singles match in the open era,[citation needed] which would stand until Wimbledon 2010. It was also the last Grand Slam tournament to feature neither Roger Federer nor Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals until the 2012 US Open.[2]

In the women's draw, Anastasia Myskina became first Russian female tennis player to win a Grand Slam title. The next two Grand Slams were also won by Russian women (Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon and Svetlana Kuznetsova at the US Open). She also became the first French Open women's title winner after having saved a match point en route to the title (against Svetlana Kuznetsova in the 4th round).

In the mixed doubles, French players Tatiana Golovin and Richard Gasquet (aged 16 and 17 respectively) won the tournament after entering as wildcards. France also saw success in the boy's singles, where Gaël Monfils won.

Juan Carlos Ferrero and Justine Henin-Hardenne were both unsuccessful in defending their 2003 titles; both being eliminated in the second round. It would be the last time until the 2009 French Open that both defending champions were defeated in the same round. In Henin's case, her early exit would be the last time a top seed lost within the first two rounds of any Grand Slam until Ana Ivanovic lost in the second round of the 2008 US Open. Henin's loss to Tathiana Garbin in the second round was her only defeat at the tournament between 2002 and 2010.


Men's Singles[3][edit]

Argentina Gastón Gaudio[4] defeated Argentina Guillermo Coria 0–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1, 8–6

  • It was Gaudio's 1st title of the year, and his 3rd overall. It was his Lone (VRG) career Grand Slam title.

Women's Singles[edit]

Russia Anastasia Myskina[5] defeated Russia Elena Dementieva 6–1, 6–2

  • It was Myskina's 2nd title of the year, and her 8th overall. It was her Lone (VRG) career Grand Slam title.

Men's Doubles[edit]

Belgium Xavier Malisse / Belgium Olivier Rochus defeated France Michaël Llodra / France Fabrice Santoro 7–5, 7–5

  • It was Malisse and Rochus' 1st career Grand Slam title.

Women's Doubles[edit]

Spain Virginia Ruano / Argentina Paola Suárez defeated Russia Svetlana Kuznetsova / Russia Elena Likhovtseva 6–0, 6–3

Mixed Doubles[edit]

France Tatiana Golovin / France Richard Gasquet defeated Zimbabwe Cara Black / Zimbabwe Wayne Black 6–3, 6–4

Top 5 Seeds[edit]

Men's Singles
1. Roger Federer (SUI) lost to Gustavo Kuerten (BRA) 3rd round
2. Andy Roddick (USA) lost to Olivier Mutis (FRA) 2nd round
3. Guillermo Coria (ARG) lost to Gastón Gaudio (ARG) Final
4. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) lost to Igor Andreev (RUS) 2nd round
5. Carlos Moyà (ESP) lost to [3]Guillermo Coria (ARG) Quarterfinal
Women's Singles
1. Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL) lost to Tathiana Garbin (ITA) 2nd round
2. Serena Williams (USA) lost to [7]Jennifer Capriati (USA) Quarterfinal
3. Amélie Mauresmo (France) lost to [9]Elena Dementieva (RUS) Quarterfinal
4. Venus Williams (USA) lost to [6]Anastasia Myskina (RUS) Quarterfinal
5. Lindsay Davenport (USA) lost to [9]Elena Dementieva (RUS) 4th round


Boys' Singles[edit]

France Gaël Monfils defeated United States Alex Kuznetsov, 6–2, 6–2

Girls' Singles[edit]

Bulgaria Sesil Karatantcheva defeated Romania Mădălina Gojnea, 6–4, 6–0

Boys' Doubles[edit]

Spain Pablo Andújar / Spain Marcel Granollers Pujol defeated United States Alex Kuznetsov / Germany Mihail Zverev, 6–3, 6–2

Girls' Doubles[edit]

Czech Republic Kateřina Böhmová / Netherlands Michaëlla Krajicek defeated Russia Irina Kotkina / Russia Yaroslava Shvedova, 6–3, 6–2


  1. ^ http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/05/death-dirt/51496/#.U39u9GdOVph
  2. ^ * McCarvel, Nicholas (9 September 2012). "A U.S. Open Final Without Nadal & Federer? Great!". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2012-09-11. 
  3. ^ This was the first ever all-Argentinean Men's Singles final.
  4. ^ Gaudio became the first Argentine player since Guillermo Vilas (in 1977) to win the Men's Singles title.
  5. ^ Myskina became the first female player from Russia to win a Grand Slam title.

External links[edit]

Preceded by
2004 Australian Open
Grand Slams Succeeded by
2004 Wimbledon Championships