Roland Garros Unveils Second Retractable Roof for French Open and Paris Olympics
The French Open, one of the four Grand Slams in tennis, is set to unveil its second retractable roof on the opening day of the tournament next month. The roof over the 10,000-seat Suzanne Lenglen court will be inaugurated on May 26, providing greater flexibility in scheduling matches and ensuring play for fans and viewers worldwide.
The new roof complements the retractable roof over the main 15,000-seat Philippe Chatrier court, which was installed in 2020. Tournament director Amélie Mauresmo hailed the new roof as a “most visible new feature” of the 2024 Olympic tournament, which will be held at Roland Garros from July 27 to August 4.
The two roofed courts will ensure that the Olympic tournament remains on schedule, avoiding disruptions caused by weather conditions. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, matches in open-air courts were affected by extreme heat and humidity.
Mauresmo also addressed the status of Rafael Nadal, the record 14-time men’s singles champion at Roland Garros. Nadal has expressed doubts about his participation due to injuries, but Mauresmo expressed hope that he would be ready. However, she ruled out any special seeding for Nadal, who has dropped to No. 512 in the rankings.
The French Open is expected to be a sell-out event, with daily crowds of 75,000 anticipated in the first week. The tournament will also host boxing finals during the second week of the Olympics, adding to the excitement and demand for tickets.
