The Porte d'Auteuil was to be full like an egg Monday, May 18, the date of the start of the Roland-Garros tournament. But Covid-19 obliges, the tournament was postponed, before being postponed unilaterally by the French Tennis Federation on September 27. A date that allows for the time to receive the public, the Prime Minister having prohibited any sporting event of more than 5000 spectators until the end of August. But the organizers still plan to see this tournament, behind closed doors, without an audience. "The priority is that Roland-Garros takes place, that the machine starts again, that there is tennis again", estimates on Europe 1 Cédric Pioline, ex-French number. Even if it's a huge regret to say that it [could] take place [r] behind closed doors. The Philippe-Chatrier court, which has had a facelift with retractable roof, could therefore be inaugurated ... without an audience. A roof.
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A big financial loss for the French Tennis Federation
The president of the FFT Bernard Giudicelli confided in the columns of the Journal du Dimanche that he "does not rule out any option. It would be lost in conjectures to favor one, as the lack of visibility is real". If the camera were to be set up, Cédric Pioline estimates the loss of income from the tournament at "between 25% and 30%". But that would still allow the Federation to collect the amounts of TV rights, or 24 million euros per year. In camera is in any case debated, Henri Leconte, he was even more concise: "rather cancel the tournament."
And then the absence of an audience is also a blow for the main players, the players. "There is a psychological connection with the public. We can feed on it in both directions, with us or against us, it is a source of energy, it can have an influence on the course of a match" , analysis on Europe 1 Cédric Pioline. "There were players who liked to put" the mess "by going to speak with the referee, the public got involved. It is less common today, but imagine on a central court a player who will score a great point and who will tighten the point and there ... nothing, the flies that fly (laughs). " If the camera were to be confirmed, the players would only have to apply the maxim of Henri Cochet, famous French tennis player and member of the Musketeers, "The game of tennis is played by ear".