New York (AFP)

Serena Williams regretted Monday being forced to stay in a hotel booked by the organization during Roland Garros, not hiding her concern about the public finally allowed to attend, even in small numbers, the French Open .

“I was hoping to stay in my apartment in Paris,” said the American at a press conference after qualifying for the quarterfinals of the US Open. “I think the French are doing the best they can. difficult, you know. All the organizers, all the countries are doing their best during this pandemic, so I can't point a finger and tell them how to do it. "

However, the player who will be 39 years old on September 26 and who is prone to pulmonary embolisms (she was hospitalized in 2011 and suffered one during her childbirth in 2017) has shown some concern about the announced presence of the public, at the reduced tonnage of 11,500 people per day maximum.

"I am on the reserve a lot because I have serious health problems that make me try to stay away from public places, I have found myself in hospital several times in serious conditions", she stressed, wondering about the decision taken by the French organizers to put all the players in two hotels - she and others were allowed to rent a house in New York as part of the health bubble of the US Open - while accepting the public at Roland Garros.

"It's interesting, we don't have the right to have private accommodation, but there will be supporters ...", she said.

If she intends a priori to play Roland Garros, she indicated that she would find out about the conditions from the organizers before making a final decision.

"I will make the best decision for my health, she said. I will have to speak with the organizers to find out how it works with the public and how we will be protected."

"But I think it will be fine," she concluded.

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) announced on Monday that it had reduced the gauge to a maximum of 11,500 spectators per day (against 20,000 hoped for so far) by strictly dividing the stadium into three zones limited to 5,000 people maximum.

All players will also be accommodated in two hotels "reserved almost exclusively" by the organization.

© 2020 AFP