Roof on the Lenglen, ticket sales, programming: the director general of the FFT satisfied with this Roland-Garros

Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin 21:21 pm, June 06, 2023

The new director general of the French Tennis Federation Caroline Flaissier is already in her garden at Roland-Garros. "It's an amazing experience. We have big ambitions," said the one who lives her first Grand Slam in this position in the program Europe 1 Sport (every evening from 20 hours to 23 hours live on Europe 1). Ambitions reflected in some novelties whose results are for the moment very satisfactory, starting with qualifying.

For the first time this year, the Federation has decided to innovate by opening the players' training sessions on Court Philippe-Chatrier to the general public during the week of qualifying. A way for the FFT to democratize sport. €10 tickets for those under 25 were also on sale. A wish dear to the new director general of the institution who praised this action since 50,000 tickets were sold during this opening week.

>> READ ALSO – "The country has stopped": then aged 14, Cédric Pioline tells the victory of Yannick Noah at Roland-Garros

Fighting empty stands

But despite the success of this new edition of the Grand Slam, many seats remain empty during some matches while the tournament is announced to be sold out. The quarterfinal between Czech Karolina Muchova (43rd) and Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (333rd) on Centre Court on Tuesday morning was far from complete. Only "2,000 people" attended this meeting while the Philippe-Chatrier court can accommodate about 15,000. "We work every year to try to test new solutions," defended Caroline Flaissier who makes Roland-Garros "a very important moment" that is prepared throughout the year. "We have not found the solution to this problem," she finally conceded.

The Federation has also strengthened its system for reselling tickets on its website. A way for spectators who have a last-minute unforeseen event to sell their place and avoid leaving a seat vacant. "Our resale platform works very well." At any time, a visitor can log on to the Roland-Garros website and buy a place for resale. A system that is bearing fruit and attracting many Internet users as attested by the director general of the FFT in Europe 1 Sport.

>> DISCOVER HERE - VIDEO - Roland-Garros 2023: when the Ukrainian Svitolina refuses to shake hands with the Belarusian Sabalenka

Programming, a real headache?

Another point of contention to which the director general of the FFT responded: the choice of programming. Sunday night, the poster of the evening pitted the American Sloane Stephens against the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. A meeting boycotted by many visitors who had decided to sell their tickets. The organizers justified themselves by highlighting the desire to "promote women's tennis".

"Programming is a complex choice. It is according to each other but also to the televisions. We are broadcast in more than 220 countries and we have more than 150 broadcasters, "replied Caroline Flaissier who hopes to satisfy more people at the next edition.

>> READ ALSO – Roland-Garros 2023: Djokovic first qualified for the semifinals after his victory against Khachanov

Work in progress

Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Roland Garros continues to modernize. After the installation of the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier, the Federation is now tackling Court Suzanne-Lenglen. "The work is already well advanced. We are in the right timing. They were stopped just before the tournament. The framework is laid and we will resume work after the tournament. We should have a functional roof by the end of 2023, "projected the director general of the FFT.