Alexander Zverev can become the seventh man in the Open Era to complete the Roland Garros–Wimbledon double on Sunday. Here is the full list, why the feat is so rare, and what stands in his way
Six men have won the French Open and Wimbledon in the same calendar year in the Open Era: Rod Laver (1969), Björn Borg (1978, 1979, 1980), Rafael Nadal (2008, 2010), Roger Federer (2009), Novak Djokovic (2021) and Carlos Alcaraz (2024). The achievement is known as the Channel Slam. Alexander Zverev will become the seventh if he beats Jannik Sinner in the 2026 Wimbledon final on Sunday 12 July.
The full list: every men’s Channel Slam of the Open Era
| Year | Player | French Open final opponent | Wimbledon final opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Rod Laver | Ken Rosewall | John Newcombe |
| 1978 | Björn Borg | Guillermo Vilas | Jimmy Connors |
| 1979 | Björn Borg | Víctor Pecci | Roscoe Tanner |
| 1980 | Björn Borg | Vitas Gerulaitis | John McEnroe |
| 2008 | Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | Roger Federer |
| 2009 | Roger Federer | Robin Söderling | Andy Roddick |
| 2010 | Rafael Nadal | Robin Söderling | Tomáš Berdych |
| 2021 | Novak Djokovic | Stefanos Tsitsipas | Matteo Berrettini |
| 2024 | Carlos Alcaraz | Alexander Zverev | Novak Djokovic |
Nine occasions, six men. Borg is the only player to have done it three times, and he did so in consecutive years. Nadal is the only other man to have done it more than once.
Why is it called the Channel Slam?
The name comes from the English Channel, the stretch of water separating France and England — and therefore separating Roland Garros from the All England Club. It is not an official title. There is no trophy and no governing-body recognition. It is simply the shorthand the sport has settled on for the hardest back-to-back in tennis.
It sits alongside the sport’s other unofficial landmarks, such as the Career Slam, in the language fans use rather than the language the tours use.
Why is the Channel Slam so difficult?
Three reasons, and they compound each other.
The surfaces are opposites. Clay is slow and high-bouncing, rewarding patience, heavy topspin and long rallies. Grass is fast and low-bouncing, rewarding the serve, flat hitting and short points. The footwork is different. The court positioning is different. Historically, the players who mastered one were poorly equipped for the other.
The gap is barely three weeks. In 2026, Zverev won the French Open on 7 June. Wimbledon began on 29 June. A player who goes deep in Paris arrives at SW19 with almost no grass-court preparation and a body that has just absorbed a fortnight of five-set clay-court tennis.
The champion is a target. Winning Roland Garros brings a fortnight of attention, obligation and expectation that arrives precisely when a player needs rest and quiet practice.
The gap of almost three decades between Borg’s last double in 1980 and Nadal’s first in 2008 tells the story. It closed partly because Wimbledon’s grass was changed in 2002 to produce a slower, higher bounce, and partly because racket and string technology narrowed the gulf between the surfaces. The all-court player became viable. The specialist did not.
Can Alexander Zverev complete the Channel Slam in 2026?
He is one match away, and there is a neat symmetry to it. The most recent man to complete the double was Carlos Alcaraz in 2024 — and the player he beat in that year’s French Open final was Zverev himself.
Zverev’s own 2026 has been a reversal of a long-standing narrative. He won Roland Garros at the fourth attempt in a major final, beating Flavio Cobolli in five sets to become the first German man to win a major since Boris Becker at the 1996 Australian Open. He had lost the 2020 US Open final from two sets up, the 2024 French Open final and the 2025 Australian Open final before that.
Wimbledon, though, has been his weakest major. Before this fortnight he had never gone beyond the fourth round. He has now reached the final for the loss of only two sets.
The obstacle is considerable. Jannik Sinner is the defending champion and world No. 1, leads their head-to-head 10-4, and has won each of their past nine meetings. Zverev has not beaten him since the 2023 US Open. The two have never met on grass.
What else is at stake for Zverev on Sunday?
Beyond the history, there is the ranking. Zverev is already projected to return to world No. 2 on Monday, overtaking the injured Carlos Alcaraz. A title would take him to 9,180 points in the live rankings, narrowing the gap on Sinner ahead of the North American hard-court swing and setting up a genuine contest for the No. 1 ranking in the second half of the season.
Which women have won the Channel Slam?
Seven women have completed the Roland Garros–Wimbledon double in the Open Era: Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova (twice), Steffi Graf (five times) and Serena Williams (twice).
Combining both draws, Zverev would become the 14th player in the Open Era to do it.
When is the 2026 Wimbledon final?
Sunday 12 July, on Centre Court, not before 4pm BST / 11am ET / 5pm CET. Jannik Sinner plays Alexander Zverev. The ladies’ doubles final follows.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Channel Slam in tennis?
The Channel Slam is the unofficial name for winning the French Open and Wimbledon in the same calendar year. It is named after the English Channel, which separates the two tournaments’ host countries. It is not an official award and carries no trophy.
How many men have won the Channel Slam?
Six men have completed the Channel Slam in the Open Era, on nine occasions in total. Björn Borg did it three times, in 1978, 1979 and 1980. Rafael Nadal did it twice, in 2008 and 2010.
Why is the Channel Slam so hard?
Clay and grass are the two most dissimilar surfaces in tennis, and only about three weeks separate the French Open final from the start of Wimbledon. The Roland Garros champion arrives at Wimbledon with almost no grass-court preparation.
Can Alexander Zverev win the Channel Slam?
Yes. Zverev won the 2026 French Open and has reached the 2026 Wimbledon final. He will become the seventh man in the Open Era to complete the Channel Slam if he beats Jannik Sinner on Sunday 12 July.
Which women have won the Channel Slam?
Seven women have completed the Channel Slam in the Open Era: Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams.
Who was the last man to win the Channel Slam?
Carlos Alcaraz, in 2024. He won the French Open by beating Alexander Zverev in the final, then won Wimbledon by beating Novak Djokovic
