Roland Garros

French Open reduced to 5,000 fans on Chatrier; Moscow, Linz canceled

The FFT said the new Roland Garros requirements were imposed by the Paris police department, in line with national regulations that put a 5,000 person limit on gatherings.



French Open reduced to 5,000 fans on Chatrier; Moscow, Linz canceled

The French Open has announced it now plans to have 5,000 spectators a day on site, down from an initial projection of 11,500 spectators

That represents around 15 percent of the tournament's usual attendance, and down sharply from its original aim of having around 20,000 spectators a day for the rescheduled event.

The tournament said the new requirements were imposed by the Paris police department, in line with national regulations that put a 5,000 person limit on gatherings.

"Since the beginning of the health crisis, the French Tennis Federation has worked hand in hand with the state," the FFT said in a statement.

A photograph taken on May 27, 2020 shows the newly built roof and the Philippe Chatrier central tennis court at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris. - The Roland Garros 2020 French Open tennis tournament should have started on May 24, 2020, instead, it will be held between September 20 and October 4, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
© AFP via Getty Images

Getty Images

The amount of coronavirus cases has been rising in France, reaching more than 10,000 a day.

According to L'Equipe, there will now only be seating on Chatrier, the largest court on the 12 hectare grounds.

The ATP and WTA Moscow events, scheduled for a month's time, will not be played because of "uncertainty" surrounding the pandemic, announced the tours.

The WTA event in Linz, slotted for the week prior to Moscow, will also not be played as scheduled. Organizers said they were looking at dates during the next few weeks.

The French tennis federation is providing refunds on request for ticket sales.