Tennis News • Roland-Garros Postponed One Week Creating “Domino Effect”

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) made the announcement Thursday.

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) announced Thursday that Roland-Garros will be pushed back one week due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will now be played from 30 May through 13 June.

Last year, the clay-court Grand Slam was moved from its traditional dates to 27 September-11 October because of the pandemic.

It is not clear how the move will impact the tours’ calendars in June, with grass-court tournaments scheduled to begin on June 7 in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (ATP and WTA), Nottingham (WTA) and Stuttgart (ATP).

The impact of delaying it a week could cause a “Domino Effect” with players already committed to grass court tournaments between and at the end of Wimbledon.

Wimbledon is scheduled to begin on June 28, just two weeks after Roland Garros revised conclusion.

The ATP and WTA released a joint statement on the tournament’s one-week postponement:

“Tennis has required an agile approach to the calendar over the past 12 months in order to manage the challenges of the pandemic, and this continues to be the case. The decision to delay the start of Roland-Garros by one week has been made in the context of recently heightened COVID-19 restrictions in France, with the additional time improving the likelihood of enhanced conditions and ability to welcome fans at the event.

“Both the ATP and WTA are working in consultation with all parties impacted by the postponement to optimise the calendar for players, tournaments and fans in the lead up to and following Roland-Garros. Further updates will be communicated in due course.”