Paris (AFP)

Roland-Garros will not end for the third year in a row with a final between Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem: the Spaniard and the Austrian have a theoretical meeting in the semifinals of this 2020 edition, exceptionally rescheduled at the fall, according to the draw on Thursday.

In the meantime, three days before the kickoff of the Parisian Grand Slam, the spectator gauge remains uncertain after the new gathering restrictions announced Wednesday evening by the government to contain the resurgence of the Covid-19 epidemic in France, which tightens the ceiling from 5,000 to 1,000 people for major events in eleven metropolitan areas in "enhanced alert zones", including Paris.

"Rafa", who trained for the first time under the brand new roof of the Philippe-Chatrier court on Thursday, alone in the afternoon, then facing recent US Open finalist Alexander Zverev in the evening, will begin his quest for an unthinkable thirteenth coronation on Parisian clay against Belarusian Egor Gerasimov.

To join Thiem, a possible round of 16 looms against the unpredictable Italian Fabio Fognini, back after having had surgery on both ankles, and a quarter-final against Zverev.

But for the Austrian, fresh winner of his first Grand Slam trophy in New York ten days ago, the path promises to be paved with pitfalls.

From the first round, he will have to cross the Croatian obstacle Marin Cilic, ex-world No. 3, who has fallen to 39th place.

Then could follow on his journey the young Norwegian Casper Ruud in the third round, the Canadian hopeful Félix Auger-Aliassime or the Swiss Stan Wawrinka in the round of 16, and why not Gaël Monfils, or the formidable Argentinian Diego Schwartzman, recent scorer of Nadal in Rome.

- Wawrinka-Murray -

Novak Djokovic, who has not yet seen in Paris, is doing better, with an entry in the running against the Swedish Mikael Ymer, and potential meetings in the quarterfinals with the Italian Matteo Berretini or the Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, not the worst clients on ocher, before a theoretical semi-final against Russian Daniil Medvedev, not very comfortable on clay either.

The shock of the first round will pit Wawrinka, winner in 2015, against British revenge Andy Murray, beneficiary of a wild card.

A year after his return to Roland Garros, where he won the last four, Roger Federer will not be back on the circuit until 2021 after a double operation on his right knee.

On the French side, only two being seeded (Monfils and Paire) and without Lucas Pouille and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, injured, they are several to have a lot to do from the start, in particular Richard Gasquet, opposed to Bautista Agut, Gilles Simon, to the Canadian Denis Shapovalov, and Grégoire Barrère, to the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.

In the women's table, in the absence of the trophy holder and world No.1, the Australian Ashleigh Barty, and the Japanese Naomi Osaka, recent winner at the US Open of her third Grand Slam, the former World No. 1 Simona Halep has the shoulders to don the clothes of favorite, strong from her coronation at Roland Garros in 2018 and titled in Rome on Monday.

- Pending spectator gauge -

If the campaign for a 24th historic Grand Slam crown for Serena Williams, who will turn 39 on Saturday, does not break before, the two ex-world No. 1 could end up in the semi-finals.

But the road for the American promises to be winding, with the returning Belarusian Victoria Azarenka (8th) and the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina (quarterfinals) among others.

Difficult draw for Caroline Garcia and Océane Dodin, respectively opposed to Estonian Anett Kontaveit and Czech Petra Kvitova in the first round, who reserved a 100% French duel between Alizé Cornet and Chloé Paquet.

More lenient for Kristina Mladenovic (Siegemund) and Fiona Ferro (Watson).

If the tables are now known, the final gauge of spectators, it is still desired.

"We still hope to have 5,000 spectators" per day, declared the director of Roland-Garros in the afternoon, pending "the evolution of the case in the coming hours, or by tomorrow (Friday ), to see how we are going to start and (make) this tournament ".

"We are able to accommodate this population on a stadium of twelve hectares, which is the equivalent of fifteen football fields, he insisted. Even if we must remain extremely careful, it seems to me that we all have guarantees that this tournament takes place in maximum security conditions. "

Verdit expected Friday.

© 2020 AFP