One of the aisles leading to the Philippe-Chatrier court at Roland-Garros, October 1, 2020. -

CHRISTOPHE SAIDI / SIPA

  • The FFT announced this Thursday the postponement of one week of the 2021 edition of Roland-Garros. 

  • Thanks to these few additional days of waiting, the organizers hope to be able to welcome more spectators - and incidentally to offer hospitality services to its partners. 

  • This postponement, however, has consequences for other tournaments which were to be played before or just after, and in particular the first of the season on grass. 

This time, the FFT has put the shapes.

A year after having put a good part of the world of back tennis by announcing all alone in his corner the postponement of Roland-Garros from May to September, the Federation led a large round table before moving its dates for the 2021 edition. No big jump from spring to autumn, but a one-week delay for the Parisian Grand Slam tournament, which will take place from May 30 to June 13.

It doesn't seem like much, but in a health context that changes every week, these few days of rabbit may bring Roland closer to what he is normally.

"This postponement should allow us to optimize our chances of welcoming spectators," said the new president Gilles Moretton in the press release sent by the Fed.

Whether for the fans, the players but also for the atmosphere, the presence of the public is essential to the tournament.

"

An opening for hospitality?

Nobody wants to relive the sad Roland of September-October, with players in down jackets on the court and desperately empty stands.

A question of image and finances.

As

L'Equipe

pointed out on

Thursday, the government's goal is to reopen the terraces in mid-May and allow restaurants to serve indoors from June 1.

Enough to hope to be able to offer the so important “hospitality services” to interested companies and sponsors.

Asked about this prospect, the FFT did not wish to follow up immediately.

"We continue to work with the State services in order to develop the most suitable organizational conditions in terms of health and health protocols", told us the Federation, which has "no other elements to give ”.

This postponement is not without collateral damage, however, of course.

In particular on the grass season, which will be cut by one week.

There will only be a fortnight between the final of Roland Garros and the start of Wimbledon.

If the FFT has indeed discussed with the ATP, the WTA and the Grand Slam Board (the representative body of the four major tournaments), the information has not always come down to the tournaments affected by this change of schedule.

"We were surprised by this announcement," replied the German group e / motion, organizer of the ATP tournament in Stuttgart, which is supposed to launch the men's grass season from June 5 to 13.

Roland-Garros put the ATP and its board of directors in front of a fait accompli.

"

Without going that far, the leaders of the WTA tournament in Nottingham, which concerns women on the same dates, indicate that they are forced to "think about a possible modification of [their] calendar".

For tournaments that were to take place just before Roland's first week, however, the horizon might clear a bit.

Players could be tempted to perfect their preparation before joining Paris.

"We are all in the same boat"

The ATP 250 of Geneva and Lyon are in this case.

"We can imagine that some players who are used to cutting a little before a Grand Slam say that they can come to us while keeping a week afterwards to prepare, notes the director of the Swiss tournament Thierry Grin near

20 Minutes

.

But we don't rely too much on that either.

At the moment we are not allowed to welcome spectators.

Without a ticket office, the prize money decreases and it is not always easy to attract headliners.

"

Upon the news of the postponement, the latter spoke at length with the owners of the tournament, won in particular twice by Stan Wawrinka (2016 and 2017).

“At the moment, there are no plans to change the date,” he said.

But things could change.

"

Stan Wawrinka sometimes likes to come and play at home before going to Porte d'Auteuil.

- Martial Trezzini / AP / SIPA

In any case, he does not blame the Parisian tournament for having turned the calendar upside down.

“The interests of a Grand Slam are above, it is the four Majors that are essential in a season, said Thierry Grin.

Now we're all in the same boat.

Whether you're Roland Garros or an ATP 250 in Geneva, you work for tennis, so everyone can get by.

We do not want the happiness of some to make others unhappy.

"

Mistreated for over a year now, tennis, like all other sports, is trying to organize itself as well as possible.

"We sail on sight in relation to all that", sums up the Swiss director.

So if everyone makes an effort to work together, it is always better.

"The WTA and ATP are working in conjunction with all the parties involved in the postponement in order to optimize the schedule before and after Roland-Garros for the players, the tournaments, the fans", moreover assured the two bodies in a joint press release on Thursday.

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