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The four Grand Slams, explained
What they are, how they differ, why each is played on a different surface, and what winning all four means.
The four Grand Slams are the biggest tournaments in tennis. Winning one changes a career; winning all four in the same year has been done by a handful of people in history.
The four
| Tournament | Where | When | Surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | Melbourne | January | Hard court |
| Roland Garros | Paris | May and June | Clay |
| Wimbledon | London | June and July | Grass |
| US Open | New York | August and September | Hard court |
Why surface changes everything
It is not a detail: each surface produces a different game. Clay slows the ball and kicks it up, rewarding players who run and grind out long points. Grass is fast and low-bouncing, rewarding big servers who come forward. Hard court sits in between.
That is why some champions dominate one surface and barely appear on another, and why winning all four is so hard: it demands four different games.
What 'Grand Slam' actually means
Strictly, a Grand Slam is winning all four tournaments in the same calendar year. Winning all four across a career, in different years, is called a Career Grand Slam and is far more common.
A player who adds Olympic gold is usually said to have a Golden Slam.
Wimbledon and its rules
Wimbledon is the oldest of the four and the one that keeps the most tradition: players wear almost all white, and its grass surface is now a rarity on a tour played mostly on hard courts.
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Read next: tennis court surfaces.