French Open to reveal second retractable roof court

PARIS — The second retractable roof at Roland Garros will be inaugurated on the opening day of the French Open next month, organizers said on Thursday about a project planned with the Paris Olympics in mind.

A ceremony for the roof over the 10,000-seat Suzanne Lenglen court will be held on May 26 when play starts in the main draws, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said at a news conference.

Even before the inauguration for the two-week tournament, the roof can be closed if rain comes during qualifying rounds on the six previous days.

The main 15,000-seat Philippe Chatrier court has had a retractable roof since 2020.

“It is a court that will help us a lot,” Mauresmo said, calling it the “most visible new feature” of the 2024 tournament.

Mauresmo praised the new roof as giving more flexibility in scheduling matches and ensuring play for 25,000 fans on the grounds and TV viewers worldwide.

The two roofed courts will help keep the Olympic tournament on schedule from July 27-Aug. 4 at the Paris Games. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, matches in open-air courts were disrupted by searing heat and humidity.

Rafael Nadal, the record 14-time French Open men’s singles champion, doubted on Wednesday he will be ready for Roland Garros as he’s dealing with injuries at age 37.

“We cross our fingers for him and for us. He’s at home and he knows it,” Mauresmo said, hours before Nadal was due on court at the Madrid Open. “We are waiting to see what happens and we will follow his desires.”

Nadal, an Olympic gold medalist in singles and doubles, is expected at Roland Garros for the Summer Games, and could play doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, French Tennis Federation official Stéphane Morel suggested.

Roland Garros also stages boxing finals in the second week of the Olympics. Mauresmo said the extra attractions had only a positive effect on demand for the French Open.

The tournament is sold out for the first week with daily crowds of 75,000 expected, and about 650,000 across the three weeks including qualifying.

Francois Mori/Associated Press Mathieu Bauderlique of France and Russia’s Igor Mikhalkin exchange blows during their light-heavyweight bout on the central court Philippe Chatrier at the Roland Garros tennis stadium, in Paris, on Sept. 10, 2021. The Roland Garros Stadium will host some boxing and tennis competitions during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.