Even following a yearlong struggle with the coronavirus, it is still reliving everyone around the world. And now for another period in a row, French Open was rescheduled. This time French Open 2021 has been postponed by one week, but with the mutated coronavirus wreak chaos, it still brings uncertainty around the happening of this Grand Slam.
Third Coronavirus lockdown in France
Last calendar year, as the first wave of coronavirus spread throughout the world, tennis came to a standstill. Thus three Grand Slams such as French Open were canceled or postponed. French Open 2020 was held in a considerably later date than its traditional late May slot.
But today, with all the new mutated and deadly variant of the coronavirus dispersing around the world, it has France in its grasp too. France is witnessing around 50,000 daily new cases of this virus. The government officials in France called the surge in cases the next wave of this coronavirus that the country is facing.
On 19th March, Paris entered its third month-wide coronavirus lockdown. This further increased concern about the French Open 2021.
Fear of cancelation of French Open 2021
Both the French sports ministry and the French Tennis Federation have feared cancelation. The rising cases caused more doubt, but they aren’t taking the drastic step so quickly.
Thus with the rising covid-19 instances came the lockdown and efficiently causing an alteration in the program of French Open 2021. The postponement of the French Open will give more time in ensuring a safe environment for everyone involved.
“Using this as their starting point, the FFT worked in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and the relevant government services on potential scenarios for organising Roland-Garros, while taking the international sporting calendar into account. In this context, it appeared that postponing the tournament by one week would be the best solution,” browse the statement from French Open.
Optimism in the French President Emmanuel Macron and French Tennis Federation Chief
The president of the French Tennis Federation, Gilles Moretton, highlighted the French Open‘s attempt to host fans this year. Thus the postponement would help in securing the whole Roland Garros area, and if the situation improves by mid-may, French Open could well be good to go with spectators.
“It will give the health situation more time to improve and should reevaluate our odds of welcoming audiences at Roland-Garros, in to our newly-transformed arena that currently covers over 30 acres. For the fans, the players and the atmosphere, the existence of spectators is essential for our championship, the spring’s most important international sporting event,”
The French President has offered some optimism lately. In the event the COVID-19 cases aren’t alarming, then France could open up sporting and cultural events by mid-May. Therefore it all now depends on France’s coronavirus management and whether the situations fall in France and the rest of the planet.