Tournament organisers are proceeding with plans to allow up to 1,000 fans a day to attend Roland Garros as France experiences a surge in coronavirus infections. Here's what they're dealing with.
The French Open tennis tournament starts tonight in Paris amid a worsening coronavirus crisis in France, where new cases of COVID-19 are peaking at around 16,000 a day.
French police stepped in and kyboshed the plan, limiting spectators to 5,000 a day, all in the main stadium. "As the organisers of this sporting event — which is, along with the Tour de France, the most important regular international sporting event to be held in France — we have a responsibility in terms of employment, economic activity, the reputation of the city of Paris and the Greater Paris region, and, more generally, the events-based economy."
After earlier saying she would not travel to Paris if the tournament was held with a crowd, or if she had to share a hotel with other players, Serena Williams has committed to playing at Roland Garros as she continues her quest to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 major titles.
The players will each be tested on arrival at the event, followed by another test 72 hours later. They'll then be tested every five days, as long as they remain in the tournament.
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