The first champion of the French Open, H. Briggs, remains an enigmatic figure in tennis history, with his real name and life largely unknown. The inaugural tournament, held in 1891 at Cercle des Sport de l’lle de Puteaux, was then called the French Championships and was exclusively for French players or foreign players affiliated with local clubs. Briggs, a British player, qualified and triumphed over P. Baigneres in the final, winning 6-3, 6-2. Following his victory, French players dominated the tournament for 42 years until Jack Crawford from Australia broke the streak in 1933. Fred Perry later became the first British player to win the title since Briggs in 1935. Despite the long wait for another British champion, with Andy Murray being the last to reach the final in 2016, the legacy of H. Briggs as the first champion endures, even as the tournament has transformed into one of tennis's most prestigious events.