MUMBAI: French Open organizers are taking every precaution to make sure the Grand Slam doesn’t reach the same fate as Novak Djokovic’s Adria tour, which was abandoned after several players tested positive for COVID-19, he said. Reuters tournament director Guy Forget.
Djokovic went on fire after the charity event was played in front of crowds crowded in Serbia and Croatia and saw the players hug each other on the net and pose for photos together.
Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki have all tested positive for the new coronavirus.
The French Open will allow up to 60 percent of normal capacity within the Roland Garros grounds when the reprogrammed Claycourt tournament kicks off on September 27, and forgets that there is no chance they’ll repeat the mistakes of the Adria Tour.
“Maybe some people were too confident there,” he said over the phone.
“Fortunately, nobody got hurt very much, but few cases are too many and we want to avoid it as much as possible.
“We want to reassure everyone that having people who get sick will be terrible for us. We pay close attention, very cautious.”
France started easing restrictions in May but has reported over 500 cases every day in recent days. Protective masks will be mandatory for anyone moving inside the Roland Garros and will be recommended for those sitting on the sidelines.
The French Tennis Federation (FFT) expects around 20,000 spectators per day during the early stages of the two-week tournament and around 10,000 per day over the last weekend.
Forget that a successful event had to have some sort of crowd.
“We all see football on television, it’s wonderful but something is missing without the crowd,” said the former number four in the world.
“We are working closely with the administration, the government, to make sure we can provide some crowd, while still following very strict security measures.”
MORE FLEXIBLE
The US Open in New York, which is expected to begin on August 31, will not have spectators and will operate under strict health protocols, including limiting the size of each player’s entourage.
Forget that the organizers of the French Open were not planning anything so rigorous and were even hoping to ease the restrictions.
“Fortunately things are a little more flexible in Europe and France in particular,” he said. “We hope that what we announce will probably be even more flexible than what we have done.”
The FFT sparked strong criticism in mid-March when it unilaterally moved the French Open in September from its expected start of May during the COVID-19 crisis, putting it in mid-hard season.
He forgets that he understood why some were unhappy, but he thought it was worth saving one of the most prestigious and profitable tennis tournaments.
“We will not celebrate or congratulate ourselves on the decision we made,” said the 55-year-old.
“We thought it was worth taking a risk. Of course we will make people unhappy.
“But in mid-October, if we are able to get together and have been able to provide revenue for 600 people, I think we will be very satisfied as a federation and I as a former player.”
I reasonably forgot that the tournament was going to be a success, but it wasn’t going to relax until after the men’s final on October 11th.
“I don’t want to shout” win “before the tournament actually takes place,” said Dimentica.
“As tournament director, I will only be happy when the male winner shakes the finalist’s hand.
“We will all be able to say together, we did it.”
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