Court Simonne-Mathieu, Tennis court and greenhouse in 16th arrondissement, France
Court Simonne-Mathieu is a red-clay tennis court sunk 4.15 metres below ground in the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil at Roland Garros. Two tiers of stands on all four sides seat 5,000 spectators and are set between four greenhouses. The building rises only 6 metres, with the canopy top at 8 metres.
The French Tennis Federation proposed this expansion project in 2010, with construction taking place from 2016 to 2019. The new court was built by integrating into an existing garden space rather than replacing it entirely.
The court honours Simonne Mathieu, French champion of the 1938 and 1939 Internationaux de France, who created and led the Corps des Volontaires françaises during the Second World War. Her grandson Bertrand Mathieu attended the inauguration on 26 May 2019, alongside Mary Pierce and Françoise Dürr.
The court surface sits several meters below the surrounding ground level, with the entire structure rising only 6 meters high to preserve the garden landscape. Visitors should expect a short walk down to reach the seating areas and courts.
The court sits 4.15 metres below ground, its building capped at 6 metres and the canopy edge at 8 metres, so from the garden of the Serres d'Auteuil you see greenhouses rather than a stadium. The four surrounding greenhouses hold more than 1,000 plants of over 500 species and varieties, open to the public outside the tournament.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,661 contributors worldwide.
