The professional tennis calendar appears set for disruption due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak after organisers of the French Open announced on Tuesday it had been postponed. The French Open, originally scheduled to take place from May 24 to June 7, will now be held from September 20 to October 4. The revamped schedule means the French Open would start just a week after the US Open.
The revised dates mean the French Open schedule clashes with ATP tournaments in Metz, St. Petersburg, Chengdu, Sofia and Zhuhai and WTA events in Guangzhou, Seoul, Tokyo and Wuhan as well as the Laver Cup in Boston.
In a statement, French Open organisers said, “The current confinement measures have made it impossible for us to continue with our preparations and, as a result, we are unable to hold the tournament on the dates originally planned."
"The whole world is affected by the public health crisis connected with COVID-19. In order to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved in organising the tournament, the French Tennis Federation has made the decision to hold the 2020 edition of Roland-Garros from 20th September to 4th October 2020," the statement said.
"In order to act responsibly and protect the health of its employees, service providers and suppliers during the organisation period, the FFT has chosen the only option that will allow them to maintain the 2020 edition of the tournament while joining the fight against COVID-19,” it added.
FFT president Bernard Giudicelli said, "We have made a difficult, yet brave, decision in this unprecedented situation, which has evolved greatly since last weekend. We are acting responsibly, and must work together in the fight to ensure everybody's health and safety."
Last week, the ATP announced it was suspending the men's tennis tour for six weeks "due to escalating health and safety issues" arising from the spread of the virus. All events on the ATP Tour and second-tier ATP Challenger Tour are suspended until April 27.
Wimbledon on schedule
Wimbledon officials announced on Tuesday that they are continuing plans to hold the tournament as scheduled from June 29. The All England Club announced it is closing its museum and other facilities. "While we continue to plan for the championships at this time, it remains a continuously evolving situation and we will act responsibly, in the best interests of wider society," All England Club chief executive Richard Lewis said.
US Open organisers critical
The organisers of the US Open issued a statement obliquely criticising the “unilateral” move of the French Open organisers to postpone their tournament. The US Open is scheduled to be held from August 25 to September 13.
The United States Tennis Association issued a statement noting, "At a time when the world is coming together, we recognize that such a decision should not be made unilaterally... Therefore, the USTA would only do so in full consultation with the other Grand Slam tournaments, the WTA and ATP, the ITF and our partners, including the Laver Cup.”
Laver Cup schedule
The Laver Cup exhibition tournament in Boston, planned from September 25 to 27, clashes with the revised schedule of the French Open. On Tuesday, Laver Cup organisers said the tournament would go ahead as planned.
The Laver Cup, which was co-created by Roger Federer, has always featured him and either Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic. “This announcement came as a surprise to us and our partners—Tennis Australia, the USTA and the ATP. It raises many questions and we are assessing the situation. At this time, we want our fans, sponsors, broadcasters, staff, volunteers, players and the great city of Boston to know that we intend to hold Laver Cup 2020 as currently scheduled," organisers of the Laver Cup said.
