Zimpapers Logo

PARIS. — Roland Garros tournament director Guy Forget is confident most of the globe’s top tennis players will make the trip to the French Open this year despite the coronavirus threat.

The red dirt Grand Slam has been rescheduled to September 27 to October 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic with the US Open taking place in its original August 31 to September 13 slot.

However, some players have raised question marks about not only the travelling back and forth for the two majors, but also the different health and safety measures being introduced to combat Covid-19.

There have been suggestions that defending champion Rafael Nadal could withdraw from the US Open to focus on Roland Garros while others could instead just play at Flushing Meadows.

However, Forget is confident “most players” will compete in Paris.

“Well, you know, the ATP and the WTA have been working really hard with us and the Grand Slams together to be able to put a schedule for the end of the season where players can play as much as possible,” he told Eurosport.

“You know a lot of players have been suffering a lot by not being able to make a living, so what we’re trying to, all of us, do now is to offer a schedule where they can actually perform. There’ll be a lot of events as you know, some of them are following each other.

“None of the events are mandatory so players will basically choose where and when they want to play. I think it’s fair, you know, as a Grand Slam — New York or Paris — we’re expecting most of the players to come to our event, but eventually some will not depending on where they come from.” — AFP.