New Delhi: The French Open tennis tournament, which was set to start on May 23, will be delayed by one week because of the coronavirus pandemic, organisers said on Thursday.
The first-round matches will now get underway on May 30.
The French tennis federation said the decision was taken in order to maximize chances the event will be played “in front of as many spectators as possible” in a safe environment.
The move came as as coronavirus cases surge in France and hospitals approach saturation. To slow down the pace of infections, new nationwide restrictions have been enforced, including a three-week school closure, a month-long domestic travel ban and the closing of non-essential shops.
Last year’s French Open tournament was pushed back to September because of the health crisis, with crowds limited to 1,000 per day.
