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All About Grand Slam (tennis)
The Grand Slam tournaments, also called Majors, are the four most important annual tennis events
They offer the most ranking points, prize money, and public and media attention; the greatest strength and size of field; and greater number of "best of" sets for men
The Grand Slam itinerary consists of the Australian Open in mid January, the French Open in May/June, Wimbledon in June/July, and the US Open in August/September
Each tournament is played over a period of two weeks
The Australian and US tournaments are played on hard courts, the French on clay, and Wimbledon on grass
Wimbledon is the oldest, founded in 1877, followed by the US in 1881, the French in 1891, and the Australian in 1905
However, of these four, only Wimbledon was a major before 1924/25, the time when all four became designated Grand Slam tournaments.
The term Grand Slam also, and originally, refers to the achievement of winning all four major championships in a single calendar year within one of the five disciplines: men's and women's singles; men's, women's, and mixed doubles
In doubles, one team may accomplish a Grand Slam playing together or one player may achieve it with different partners
The term "Grand Slam" without qualification refers to winning the four majors in a single calendar year.
Winning the four majors in consecutive tournaments but not in the same year is known as a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam, while winning all four majors at any point during the course of a career is known as a Career Grand Slam
Winning the Olympic gold medal in addition to the four majors in a one calendar year is known as a "Golden Grand Slam" or more commonly the "Golden Slam"
Also, winning the Year-End Championship in the same period is known as a "Super Slam"
Together, all four Majors in all three disciplines (singles, doubles, and mixed doubles) are called a "boxed set" of Grand Slam titles
No player has won all twelve events in one calendar year but it has been done by three female players during their careers.