Who won the first French Championships men's singles title in 1891?

H. Briggs won the first French Championships men’s singles title in 1891. The tournament was held in Paris at the grounds of the Société de Sport de l’Île de Puteaux.

Briggs was a British tennis player living in Paris and representing Club Stade Français. Because the early French Championships were limited to players belonging to French clubs, his club affiliation made him eligible. In the final, he defeated P. Baigneres in straight sets.

The 1891 event was not yet the globally open French Open familiar today. The championship remained restricted to French-club members until 1925, when it became an international event. The modern name “French Open” dates from the professional Open Era in 1968. That history explains why early winners such as Briggs appear in the tournament’s records even though the competition’s eligibility rules differed greatly from those of today.