United States’s Tennys Sandgren, left serves to Serbia’s Novak Djokovic during their first round match in an almost deserted Philippe Chatrier stadium as the sun sets on day three of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Spectators are not allowed in the stadium after the curfew of 2100, due to the on going coronavirus pandemic.
Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning a point against Richard Gasquet of France during their second round match on day 5, of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Thursday, June 3, 2021.
United States’s Tommy Paul, at right on court, plays a return to Russia’s Daniil Medvedev during their second round match on day four of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Wednesday, June 2, 2021.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic plays a return to United States’s Tennys Sandgren during their first round match on day three of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Tuesday, June 1, 2021.
Spectators wander along the outside of the Court Philippe Chatrier on day three of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Tuesday, June 1, 2021.
Between points, one man’s lonely voice left the press box to pierce the air at Court Philippe Chatrier as Rafael Nadal played Richard Gasquet under the lights in the City of Light to close the French Open’s second round.
“Allez! Allez, Richie!” came the cries during the first set of 13-time champion Nadal’s 6-0, 7-5, 6-2 victory.
Jazz music from somewhere outside the stadium wafted through at one stage. At another, police sirens wailed nearby outside the grounds. Otherwise, the sounds Thursday were pretty much limited to the rippled clicking of photographers’ cameras, the thud of tennis balls meeting racket strings and Nadal’s trademark grunts. Not much in the way of cheers, chanting or applause.
Welcome to the (mostly) silent nights of Roland Garros, which this year has joined Flushing Meadows and Melbourne Park in scheduling night sessions. Unlike the rowdy, raucous crowds at those Grand Slam counterparts, there are no spectators for these late matches at the French Open because of coronavirus restrictions and a strict 9 p.m. local curfew.
“It was kind of funny, because I feel like I’ve played a ton of night matches — especially in Australia or the U.S. Open — and I almost had a moment of thinking, ‘Oh, I’ve done this before,’ in the middle of the match, and then thinking, ‘Wait. No I haven’t,’” said Madison Keys, the 2017 runner-up in New York who is seeded 23rd in Paris and played in a match on a secondary court that ended at nearly midnight this week. “It was a little bit strange. But the fact that they’ve added lights and that we are able to play these matches late into the day, it’s so beneficial. Everyone would rather play until midnight than play until almost 10 (p.m.) and have to stop and come back the next day.”
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
