With the Olympics returning to the historic city of Paris in 2024, and some of the biggest names in the sport as part of the competition, the tournament is sure to be packed with entertainment and unforgettable moments. Here’s a guide to what to look forward to from tennis at the Paris Olympics this year as well as some French tennis customs and expressions.
A Brief History of Tennis in the Olympics
The origin of tennis dates back to the 11th century in France when it was known as “jeu de paume” (game of the hand), so it’s fitting that it’s returning to its birthplace in Paris this summer. Tennis made its Olympic debut at the first Summer Olympics held in 1896 in Athens, but it was dropped after the 1924 Summer Olympics, which was also held in Paris, due to a disagreement between the International Lawn Tennis Federation (now the ITF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over how to define amateur athletes. Tennis eventually returned to the Olympics at the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul and is returning to Paris at the Olympics for the first time in a century.
2024 Paris Olympics Tennis Format
Events: men’s and women’s singles (64 players per gender), men’s and women’s doubles (32 teams per gender), and mixed doubles (16 teams)
Venue: the clay courts of Roland Garros, home of the French Open
Dates: July 27 - August 4, 2024
Qualification: Each country can qualify up to 12 players, with four men and four women competing in singles. In Paris, 41 countries will be represented in tennis.
2024 American Olympic Tennis Team
Men’s Singles: Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Christopher Eubanks, and Marcos Giron
Women’s Singles: Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Danielle Collins, and Emma Navarro
Men’s Doubles: Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek
Women’s Doubles: Emma Navarro and Desirae Krawczyk
Notable Past Winners and Defending Champions
- The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, each won four Olympic gold medals between 2000 and 2016.
- Rafael Nadal clinched gold in singles (2008) and doubles (2016) and will be competing again this year.
- Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer teamed up for doubles gold in 2008.
- Germany’s Alexander Zverev won the men’s gold medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo (held in 2021).
- Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic won the women’s gold medal in Tokyo.
French Tennis Customs
Handshake and greetings: Before and after a match, players typically shake hands with their opponents, showing respect and sportsmanship. In France, a friendly “bonjour” at the beginning and “merci” at the end of a match are common.
Silence during points: Just like at Wimbledon, French tennis etiquette emphasizes silence during points to allow players to concentrate. Fans are expected to remain quiet while the ball is in play and save their applause and cheers for after points are played.
Fashion: French players are known for their stylish attire on the court. Think classic white outfits, chic headbands, and fashionable tennis shoes. Former player René Lacoste is credited with designing the polo shirt, which remains a staple in French tennis fashion.
French Tennis Expressions
“Allez!”: This is the French equivalent of “Come on!” and is frequently shouted by players to motivate themselves or by fans to encourage their favorite players.
“Bravo!”: This is an expression of praise, similar to “well done,” used by spectators to acknowledge a particularly good shot or rally.
“C’est parti!”: This means “Here we go!” or “Let's start” and is often used at the beginning of a match or set.
“Let”: This is the same as the English term for a serve that hits the net but lands in the correct service box, requiring the serve to be retaken. While many beginners mistakenly call out “net,” in English because a let occurs when the ball hits the net, the origin may have a similar meaning since it is thought to be the shortened form of “filet,” which is French for “net.”
“Zéro”: This means “zero,” which the French use instead of saying “love.” In English, “love” is used at the beginning of a set or game when no points have been scored. One of the explanations for how “love” came to mean “zero” is that it’s a derivative of “l’oeuf,” which is French for “egg” since a zero looks like an egg. However, in France, don’t start a tennis game by saying “amour,” which is the French for “love.” Just say “zéro.”
“Quarante-A” and "égalité”: These are the French terms for “deuce, which is the score called when players reach 40-40. It either comes from the French phrase "à deux de jeu,” which means "to be two points away from winning the game” or the Old French word for two, “deus” (“deux” in Modern French). However, when playing tennis in France, the score is “quarante-a” (“40-all”) the first time players reach deuce and "égalité” (“equality”) for any subsequent deuces in the same game.
“Jeu, set et match”: This translates to “game, set, and match,” the standard announcement by the umpire when a player has won the match.
Conclusion
As the world’s top tennis athletes gather in Paris, expect intense rallies, passionate fans, and unforgettable moments. With tennis’ top players returning to Roland Garros for the second time in months but the first time for the Olympics in a century, the tennis competition in Paris 2024 is sure to stir up some excitement and drama on the court!
For more updates, visit the official Paris 2024 Olympics tennis page.
