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French Open at Roland Garros could be postponed amid the COVID-19 crisis in France

The French Open at Roland Garros was postponed from May until September last year and the same could happen in 2021 with the country entering a third nationwide lockdown

Sunday 4 April 2021 09:56, UK

This picture taken on February 5, 2020 at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris shows the construction work of the newly built roof of the Philippe Chatrier central tennis cour
Image: Play on Court Philippe Chatrier may have to wait if this year's French Open is postponed

French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu said it was possible the French Open could be postponed for the second year amid the COVID-19 crisis.

France entered a third nationwide lockdown on Saturday to contain the coronavirus spread, although professional sports have largely been spared.

An exception is cycling's Paris-Roubaix one-day race, which has been postponed from its original April 11 slot.

Last year's French Open was postponed from May to September and took place in front of limited crowds.

This year's tournament at Roland Garros in Paris is due to start this year on May 23.

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French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu leaves the Elysee Palace after the weekly cabinet meeting, in Paris, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018. France’s sports minister Maracineanu, says French society is at a “turning point” for women’s rights within the male-dominated sports world amid a wave of protests from female journalists denouncing discrimination. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Image: French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu said it was possible the French Open could be postponed

"We are in discussion with them (the French Tennis Federation) to see if we should change the date to coincide with a possible resumption of all sports and major events," Maracineanu told France Info radio on Saturday night.

"Today, although high-level sport has been preserved, we try to limit the risks of clusters, of spreading the virus within professional sports."

Also See:

French President Emmanuel Macron plays tennis on the Pont Alexandre III in Paris, Saturday June 24, 2017. The French capital is transformed into a giant Olympic park to celebrate International Olympic Day with a variety of sporting events for the public across the city during two days as the city bids to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.(Jean Paul Pelissier, Pool Photo via AP)
Image: French President Emmanuel Macron is hopeful the country will re-open in mid-May with Roland Garros due to start on May 23

President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that he was expecting to re-open the country in mid-May.

The director-general of the French Tennis Federation, Gilles Moreton, said earlier this week that he could not imagine the Grand Slam tournament being cancelled.

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