French Open to welcome spectators, introduce night session

Hanover, May 13 (IANS) Organisers of French Open hope to welcome around 1,18,000 fans at the upcoming tennis grand slam in Paris.The organisers said that a little more than 5,000 fans would be allowed at the Roland Garros on the first 10 days -- 1,000 on each of the three show courts and the others on outside courts, reports DPA. The remaining five days, with play only on the show courts, would see 5,000 fans allowed per court. The French Open was pushed back by a week owing to Covid-19 and is scheduled for May 30-June 13. With restrictions being eased, the tournament can have more attendance than last year when it was held in September and October in front of 15,000 fans. All players will be in a bubble again in two hotels and can access Roland Garros premises only on days they play, along with two additional people. The 2021 edition will also, for the first time, see night session with a retractable roof on centre court and floodlights. Two matches each in men's and women's sections are to be scheduled in the night session.
--IANS
akm/kh