Organizers announced that the second retractable roof at Roland Garros will be ready for the start of the French Open next month.
The roof over the 10,000-seat Suzanne Lenglen court will be officially revealed on May 26, coinciding with the opening day of the tournament. This new addition allows for matches to proceed smoothly, even if it rains during the preceding days of qualifying rounds.
The existing retractable roof over the main 15,000-seat Philippe Chatrier court has been in use since 2020.
According to tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, this new roof is a significant improvement that offers more flexibility in scheduling matches and ensures uninterrupted play for both on-site spectators and TV audiences worldwide.
The addition of these two roofed courts is especially crucial for keeping the Olympic tennis tournament on track during the Paris Games, preventing disruptions like those experienced due to extreme weather conditions at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Rafael Nadal, the 14-time French Open men’s singles champion, expressed uncertainty on Wednesday about his readiness for Roland Garros due to injuries at the age of 37.
“We hope for the best for him and our tournament. He’s aware of his situation,” Mauresmo said, just before Nadal was set to play at the Madrid Open. “We’re eager to see how things unfold, and we’ll respect his decisions.”
Nadal, who has won Olympic gold in both singles and doubles, is anticipated to participate in Roland Garros for the Summer Games. There’s speculation that he might team up with Carlos Alcaraz for the doubles event, suggested by French Tennis Federation official Stéphane Morel.
During the second week of the Olympics, Roland Garros will also host boxing finals. According to Mauresmo, these additional events have generated more interest in the French Open.
Tickets for the tournament’s first week are already sold out, with daily attendance expected to reach 75,000, and a total of around 650,000 attendees throughout the three weeks, including the qualifying rounds.
