PARIS (Reuters) – Every Roland Garros court will be allowed to be 35% full with a limit of 1,000 spectators at the beginning of the French Open amid an easing of COVID-19 restrictions, National Education, Youth and Sports minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said on Sunday.
The limit will be raised to 65% – 5,000 fans – starting June 9 when the claycourt Grand Slam quarter-finals get underway, Blanquer told France 3 TV channel.
It marks an improvement on last year’s delayed tournament when a maximum of 1,000 spectators were allowed in the grounds of Roland Garros.
This year’s French Open, which was delayed by a week, is set to start on May 30.
Spectators will be allowed back into arenas from May 19, President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday, providing that the health situation does not deteriorate.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
