In professional tennis, the term Grand Slam refers to winning which combination of four major tournaments in a single calendar year?

Introduction / Context:
In tennis, the word Grand Slam has a very specific meaning and is often used in sports commentary, quizzes, and general knowledge tests. It refers to the achievement of winning all four of the most prestigious major tournaments within the same calendar year. This question checks whether you can correctly identify those four majors from among a list that includes other well known but non Grand Slam events.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The concept is Grand Slam in tennis.
• The answer must be a combination of four distinct tournaments.
• The options include genuine Grand Slam events and other professional tournaments.
• The learner is assumed to know that there are exactly four Grand Slam tournaments.

Concept / Approach:
The key is to remember the names and sequence of the four Grand Slam tournaments: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. These are held annually on different surfaces and in different countries. Any combination that replaces one of these with another tournament, such as the Italian Open, Japan Open, South Africa Open, or Canadian Open, is not a true Grand Slam set. Therefore, you must select the option that lists exactly these four majors and no substitutes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the four Grand Slam tournaments by name: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open. Step 2: Scan each option and see whether it contains all four of these names without adding any extra non major event. Step 3: Option A lists Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, which matches perfectly with the recognised Grand Slam tournaments. Step 4: Notice that options B, C, D, and E each include at least one non Grand Slam tournament such as Italian Open, Japan Open, South Africa Open, or Canadian Open. Step 5: Conclude that only option A gives the correct composition of a tennis Grand Slam.

Verification / Alternative check:
A simple verification method is to recall the locations and surfaces of the four Grand Slam events. Australian Open is held in Melbourne on hard courts, French Open in Paris on clay, Wimbledon in London on grass, and US Open in New York on hard courts. If an option includes tournaments in Rome, Tokyo, Toronto, or other venues, you know it is mixing in ATP Tour or WTA Tour events, not the true Grand Slam majors. Thus the correct set remains Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Wimbledon, French Open, Italian Open, Australian Open: Replaces the US Open with the Italian Open, which is a Masters level event, not a Grand Slam.
Wimbledon, Australian Open, Japan Open, US Open: The Japan Open is a professional tournament but not part of the four majors.
Wimbledon, South Africa Open, French Open, US Open: South Africa Open is not among the four recognised Grand Slam tournaments.
Australian Open, Wimbledon, Canadian Open, US Open: The Canadian Open is a high level tour event, not a Grand Slam major.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes assume that any famous or high prize money event is part of the Grand Slam. Another issue is mixing up Grand Slam tournaments with ATP Masters 1000 or other important events. To avoid confusion, always memorise the four names and associate them with their cities and surfaces, which creates a stronger mental link and reduces the chance of error in exam situations.

Final Answer:
A tennis Grand Slam consists of winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open in the same calendar year.