What is the Coupe des Mousquetaires?
Winning the French Open is one of the greatest achievements in tennis. Yet beyond the prestige, ranking points and prize money, every men's singles champion at Roland Garros receives something even more symbolic, the Coupe des Mousquetaires.
The silver trophy awarded annually to the French Open men's champion is among the most recognizable prizes in world sport. From Rafael Nadal's dominance on the Paris clay to Roger Federer's emotional triumph in 2009 and Novak Djokovic's historic victories, the Coupe des Mousquetaires has become synonymous with greatness.
But the trophy's story stretches far beyond modern champions.
Why is it called the Coupe des Mousquetaires?
The trophy is named after the legendary "Four Musketeers" of French tennis:
During the 1920s and early 1930s, the quartet transformed French tennis into a global powerhouse. Together, they captured multiple Grand Slam titles and led France to six consecutive Davis Cup triumphs between 1927 and 1932.
Their success was so influential that it helped inspire the construction of Roland Garros Stadium in Paris, which was built to host France's Davis Cup defense following its historic victory over the United States in 1927.
Today, the trophy stands as a permanent tribute to their impact on the sport.
The design of the French Open Trophy
The current version of the Coupe des Mousquetaires was introduced in 1981 after the French Tennis Federation commissioned a redesign. The project was awarded to Mellerio, one of France's oldest and most prestigious jewelry houses.
The trophy features:
- Solid silver construction
- Decorative vine leaves surrounding the rim
- Distinctive swan-shaped handles
- A marble base engraved with champions' names
- The inscription "Internationaux de France," the official French name of the tournament
The original trophy measures approximately:
- 40 centimeters in height
- 19 centimeters in width
- 14 kilograms in weight
Its elegant design combines sporting prestige with French artistic craftsmanship, making it one of the most unique trophies in professional tennis.
Champions do not keep the original trophy
Unlike many sports trophies, the original Coupe des Mousquetaires never leaves the custody of the French Tennis Federation. The trophy is normally housed in the office of the federation's president and is brought out only for the championship ceremony each year.
Winning players instead receive a smaller handcrafted replica made entirely from silver. Each replica takes more than 100 hours to create and becomes a personal keepsake for the champion.
One of the most famous exceptions came in 2009 when Roger Federer was briefly allowed to take the original trophy so his father could see it after Federer completed his long-awaited Career Grand Slam in Paris.
Rafael Nadal's special Coupe des Mousquetaires
No player is more closely associated with the trophy than Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard's dominance at Roland Garros redefined what was possible on clay courts, earning him a record number of French Open titles.
In 2017, after claiming his historic tenth French Open crown, Nadal was presented with a full-size special replica known as the "Décima" trophy.
Unlike the standard champion's replica, it matched the dimensions of the original Coupe des Mousquetaires and featured an inscription celebrating all ten of Nadal's Paris titles up to that point.
The honor reflected one of the greatest achievements in tennis history.
Why the Coupe des Mousquetaires matters
The trophy represents more than a tournament victory. For players, lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires means joining a lineage that includes legends such as Björn Borg, Ivan Lendl, Andre Agassi, Gustavo Kuerten, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
It symbolizes excellence on the most demanding surface in tennis, where physical endurance, tactical intelligence and mental resilience are tested over two weeks of competition.
Few prizes in sport carry as much historical weight.
A symbol of Roland Garros excellence
Every spring, the world's best players arrive in Paris hoping to leave with the Coupe des Mousquetaires.
Its silver surface reflects more than a century of tennis history, while its name honors the champions who helped establish France as one of the sport's great powers.
For generations of players, lifting the trophy on Court Philippe-Chatrier remains the ultimate clay-court dream, and one of the defining moments in professional tennis.
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