Too often empty especially the first week and at meal times, the prestigious lodges of the Roland-Garros central can be "shared" during the 2021 edition, announced Monday the president of the French Tennis Federation (FFT) Bernard Giudicelli. "There will be an option which will allow spectators with general entry tickets (which only give access to the short annexes which do not have numbered seats, editor's note), to have access to the boxes when they are empty", explained Mr. Giudicelli during a live internet show organized by Gaël Monfils. "People who take this option, that's a few euros more, will receive an SMS when they are in the stadium telling them 'you can go to the Philippe-Chatrier court, in such a box, in such a platform'. They will have the opportunity to attend the match from the lodge and when the holders of the lodge return, they will leave on the short annexes, "explained the manager. "It is this idea of sharing the availability of boxes when the holders are not there", he insisted, stressing however that the boxes were part of "the economic model of the Federation".
"Kid, when I went to Roland, inevitably, I wanted to be at the bottom in the boxes."
Gaël Monfils"The lodges and the partners who finance them contribute to the Federation's revenues," he said, recalling that Roland-Garros kept the FFT alive. The tournament represents almost 80% of the Federation's budget (322 million euros in 2020), which is by far the largest of all the French federations, including football. "It's very good!" Agreed Monfils. Kid, when I went to Roland, necessarily, I wanted to be at the bottom in the boxes. I think it's a great idea and I hope it will work (…) And if there are people in the commu (the community that follows Monfils on social networks, editor's note) who are in the boxes, n 'do not hesitate to signal me, I will come with great pleasure to chat with you during the match,' he promised.
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In addition, the president of the FFT assured that Roland-Garros would indeed take place in September, giving his preference for "a Roland-Garros with a maximum of public (...) But we will adapt to the directives of the government, he warns. Let us not forget that it is the government that decides. The camera is really the assumption that we do not like. With the enlargement of the stadium and the barrier gestures, we can quite imagine a Roland with reduced gauge to protect the players and the public. ”
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