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Postcard from Paris

Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario contested three French Open finals © Getty Images

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As the French Open reaches its climax, we've pick out some classic moments from a rich history at Roland Garros - whether for upsets, nail-biting action, historical significance, or just for the sheer quality of tennis on display in Paris.

A star is Bjorn - 1974
Just a few days after his 18th birthday, Bjorn Borg came from two sets down to beat Manuel Orantes to win the first of six French Open titles. Borg was taking full advantage of Jimmy Connors' absence - after he had been banned for signing a contract to play with World Team Tennis - but it had nearly fallen apart at the seams. Borg was so close to falling at the first hurdle when he trailed 4-1 in the third set against world No. 217 Jean-Francois Caujolle before winning five games on the bounce to clinch a 4-6 6-0 6-4 victory. It was far from the polished Borg that went on to win 11 grand slam titles, indeed the Swede dropped eight sets en route to the Coupe des Mousquetaires, but it marked a sign of things to come as he sealed a 2-6 6-7(1) 6-0 6-1 6-1 victory.

A firecracker of a final - 1996
By the 1996 French Open, defending champion Steffi Graf and Spaniard Arantxa Sanchez Vicario knew each other's games pretty well. Meeting for the fifth time at Roland Garros, and for the 35th time over an eight-year period, Graf had triumphed in three sets the previous year. When Graf won the opening set and opened up a lead in the second, it looked like the German had one hand on the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen for a fifth time, but Sanchez Vicario clawed her way back in the second-set tiebreak. After an epic decider, Graf finally broke through to claim a 6-3 6-7(4) 10-8 victory after over three hours on court - the longest French Open women's final in history.

From the jaws of defeat - 1999
Andre Agassi's bid to make history in Paris hit a severe obstacle when he found himself two sets down against world No. 100 Andrei Medvedev. "As the match begins, I'm making stupid mistakes, every kind of error you can make on a tennis court," Agassi later recalled in his autobiography, Open. But the American finally found his rhythm and battled back to claim a 1-6 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 victory, to add the French Open to his 1992 Wimbledon, 1994 US Open and 1995 Australian Open titles. After clinching his place in the history books as only the fifth man to complete a career Grand Slam, Agassi broke down in tears. "I never dreamed I'd ever be back here after so many years, I'm so proud," he said. "I'll never forget this, I'll never forget this. I'm very blessed." Meanwhile, Medvedev, the lowest-ranked player to reach the French Open final, admitted he had nothing left to give. "I cannot say I did anything wrong, he just played unbelievably. I left my heart and soul on the court. I had nothing left," the Russian said. "I cannot say that losing to him is an honour, but it's an honour to stand here with him because he made history."

Federer conquers Paris at last - 2009
Having been thwarted in the past three finals by rival Rafael Nadal, Federer finally claimed the one grand slam crown that eluded him. Ten years after Agassi completed the career Grand Slam, it was fitting that the American awarded Federer the Coupe de Mousquetaires as Federer achieved the feat in Paris. Federer's path to victory had been cleared by Robin Soderling, who had become the first man to beat Nadal at Roland Garros, but it nearly didn't go to plan. Federer was two sets down against Tommy Haas, who squandered a break point to go 5-3 up in the third. But Federer made it to the final, and sailed to a 6-1 7-6(1) 6-4 victory to cement his place in the history books, equalling Pete Sampras' record of 14 majors. "This was my greatest victory," Federer said. "You gave me a lesson how to play," Soderling graciously said to Federer. "To me you are the greatest player in history."

Rafael Nadal gets his teeth into his first French Open trophy © Getty Images

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The King of Clay emerges - 2005
Just a few days after his 19th birthday, the left-handed Spaniard Nadal beat world No. 1 Federer en route to his first grand slam final. Having picked up titles in Monte Carlo, Rome, Barcelona and Stuttgart, Nadal's 6-7 6-3 6-1 7-5 victory over Argentina's Mariano Puerta saw him become first man since Mats Wilander in 1982 to win the French Open on his debut as he finished the clay-court season undefeated in 24 matches. It was the start of a four-year unbeaten streak at Roland Garros, one which eventually came to an end at the hands of Soderling four years later. Nadal lost the opening set, but revealed an attitude that would see him crowned world No. 1 three years later. "I fight for every ball," Nadal said. "When I have problems in the match, I fight, I fight, I fight every game."

The birth of a rivalry - 1990
By 1990, Graf had emerged as the dominant force in women's tennis. In 1988 she completed a clean sweep, cleaning up at all four grand slams and winning Olympic gold in Seoul. The following year she claimed three of the four (this time Sanchez Vicario denied her in Paris). But at the 1990 French Open, a new pretender emerged. A 16-year-old Monica Seles saved four set points in the opening set tiebreak before triumphing 7-6(6) 6-4 to become the youngest women's grand slam champion. Seles' rivalry with Graf was cut short when she was stabbed by a crazed Graf fan in 1993.

The end of a streak - 1984
John McEnroe had enjoyed a blazing start to 1984 - the American was unbeaten in 42 matches. Having fallen in four grand slam finals, Lendl's mentality had been questioned, and when McEnroe blazed to two-set lead in a little over an hour, it looked like it would be 0-5 for the Czech. However in the third set, McEnroe became distracted by a noise coming from a cameraman's headset, and Lendl took full advantage to claw his way back and claim his first grand slam title with a 3-6 2-6 6-4 7-5 7-5 victory. It was just one of three defeats all season for McEnroe, who won 13 titles (including Wimbledon and the US Open), and compiled an astonishing 82-3 record.

Michael Chang was the youngest French Open champion © Getty Images

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David outwits Goliath - 1989
Michael Chang was a surprise winner at the 1989 French Open, beating Stefan Edberg in the final, but it was his fourth round win over seven-time grand slam champion Lendl that will live in the memory. It was the classic David against Goliath - the formidable Lendl, a three-time champion at Roland Garros, against the diminutive 17-year-old Chang. In the fifth set, Chang was gripped by severe cramp and employed unorthodox methods in order to preserve his beleaguered body. Chang began lobbing the ball and even resorted to serving underarm and Lendl was rattled as Chang went on to become the youngest French Open champion. ''I always play guys older than me. They see this little squirt across the net and they get a little nervous," Chang said.

A home-grown hero -1983
Yannick Noah used the partisan home crowd and his athleticism to his advantage as he outwitted defending champion Mats Wilander to end France's 37-year wait for a home champion. Noah triumphed in straight sets 6-2 7-6 7-6(3). It was his first and last appearance in a grand slam final. "He is an artist of life," Wilander later said of Noah. "Wherever he goes there is sunshine." Mary Pierce won the women's singles title in 2000, but France have not had a men's singles champion since.

Dominant Henin strikes again - 2007
Having pulled out of the Australian Open to deal with the break-up of her marriage, Henin had briefly lost the No. 1 ranking to Maria Sharapova. However, Henin was the top seed at Roland Garros and unbeaten since 2004. Having dispatched Serena Williams in straight sets, Henin strolled past Jelena Jankovic before thrashing Ana Ivanovic 6-1 6-2 in a one-sided final lasting just 65 minutes. Henin had cruised to the title without dropping a set - indeed she had not dropped a set since the quarter-finals two years earlier at Roland Garros, the courts she fondly referred to as "my garden".

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