Vaccination certificates or negative COVID-19 test reports must for fans at Roland Garros
French tennis federation director-general Amelie Oudea-Castera said potential spectators at the 30 May - 13 June Grand Slam must demonstrate proof that they had a negative PCR or antigen test within 48 hours of attendance, or bear a certificate of vaccination.
French Open had set a limit of 1000 fans at the Roland Garros last year. AP /File
Paris: French Open fans must show they are free from COVID-19
if they want to be among the small number of spectators allowed to attend this year's Roland Garros, organisers said on Wednesday.
French tennis federation director-general Amelie Oudea-Castera said potential spectators at the 30 May - 13 June Grand Slam must demonstrate proof that they had a negative PCR or antigen test within 48 hours of attendance, or bear a certificate of vaccination.
Oudea-Castera added that up to 5,388 spectators would be admitted at the Roland Garros site in western Paris until 8 June, in line with current French government coronavirus -related regulations on fan-based events.
That figure will go up to 13,146 from 9 June thanks to the government's decision to raise fan numbers to a 65 percent limit of actual capacity.
The tennis federation, however, has not received a waiver concerning the curfew currently in force in France, meaning there will be no fans present for evening sessions.
The nationwide curfew, presently between 7 pm and 6 am, will be pushed back to 9 pm on 19 May.
This year's Roland Garros has already been pushed back by one week, with organisers hoping the COVID-19 situation in France will have improved enough to maximise the number of fans.
Last year's Roland Garros was delayed by four months due to the pandemic. A maximum of 1,000 spectators were allowed on site each day.
also read
PCB completes first phase of COVID-19 vaccination for players and support staff
The inoculation drive was conducted in collaboration with the Pakistan government's National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the PCB said.
Naomi Osaka admits playing on clay court is outside her comfort zone
Osaka has never won a tour-level event on clay court while at the French Open, she is yet to make it past the third round.
Madrid Open: Rafael Nadal aims to find rhythm in the Spanish capital as French Open looms
Nadal is the top seed in Madrid and will play either compatriot Carlos Alcaraz or the Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the first round while he is due to meet Dominic Thiem, a finalist at the French Open in 2018 and 2019, in the last four.