How many spectators will be allowed in the enclosure?
The daily gauge was finally set at 1,000 spectators (750 visitors with tickets, 200 guest partners and 50 elected officials of the French Tennis Federation), in accordance with government anti-Covid measures.
This is therefore 35 times lower than the capacity of the complex and its 16 courts.
Assistance to which we must add several hundred people from the organization, journalists, referees, ball collectors ...
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Why had the installation of a roof on Philippe-Chatrier court become essential?
The new roof installed on Philippe-Chatrier court.
The Parisian stadium has had a facelift and for the first time in its history, the Philippe-Chatrier court will have an opening roof, made up of 11 wings each weighing 330 tonnes.
It will still take about fifteen minutes to close or open it!
This equipment will make it possible to play matches in rainy weather but also to schedule matches late at night.
Twelve other courts are now lit and will allow you to play at night.
An important asset this year since at the end of September-beginning of October, the sun will set around 8:00 p.m.
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The images of the new roof of the central court at Roland Garros (video)
What does playing in September change?
Lots of things for the playing conditions since the temperatures should be cooler.
The ball should go slower but also tend to bounce high a little less, which could benefit some players.
It is above all the weather that worries the organizers and the increased risk of rain that could disrupt the tournament even if the roof on the Philippe-Chatrier court will allow at least one poster to be held this year in the event of rainy conditions.
Has the tournament's endowment declined with the Covid crisis?
Tournament revenue will drop by more than half compared to last year, but the overall endowment reserved for players will only decrease by 10%, from 42.6 million euros to 38 million euros.
The organizers have especially made a gesture in the direction of the lowest ranked players with gains in clear increase for the qualifications and the first rounds (60,000 euros for a loss in the first round).
The winners have not been forgotten even if their check will be less generous: 1,600,000 euros for the winner of the male and female paintings (against 2,300,000 twelve months ago).
Who will be the big absent from the 2020 edition?
Roger Federer, absent from the 2020 edition.
The main absentee for men is obviously Roger Federer, who will not play again in 2020 after having knee surgery in February.
Among the French, Lucas Pouille and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, injured, also forfeited, as did Juan Martin del Potro, who had a right knee operation at the end of August, but also Nick Kyrgios, who ended his season.
Milos Raonic, Kyle Edmund or Fernando Verdasco will not be in the game either.
In women, the table was decapitated with the absences of the world number 1 and winner of the 2019 edition, Ashleigh Barty, insufficiently prepared, and of the number 3, Naomi Osaka, affected in the thigh.
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What are the chances of the French?
They are thin, especially this year in the absence of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Lucas Pouille (see above).
Benoît Paire (n ° 23) and Gaël Monfils (n ° 8) are the only French seeds, but their preparation on gravel was not very reassuring.
Richard Gasquet inherited a bone in the first round with Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.
The good surprise could come from Ugo Humbert, author of a good trip to Hamburg this week.
Among the girls, the main hopes are focused on Caroline Garcia who will have a lot to do as soon as she enters the competition against the No. 17 seed Anett Kontaveit.
Kristina Mladenovic was a little more varnished by pulling the German Laura Siegemund, 66th player in the world.
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Roland-Garros: in what state of form are the French?
Is Nadal still the big favorite?
Rafael Nadal in search of a thirteenth victory in Paris.
Undoubtedly, even if his early elimination in Rome against Diego Schwartzman (6-2, 7-5) in the quarter-finals, may have created a slight doubt about his state of form.
The Spaniard with twelve successes on the ocher soil of Paris has played only three matches on clay after six months without competition but he has been preparing for this meeting for weeks by having overlooked the US Open.
The weather conditions (cooler temperatures, slower balls and rebounds with which he particularly likes to play probably less accentuated) will they work in favor of his opponents?
It's possible.
His main rivals are known to all: Novak Djokovic, Dominic Thiem who comes out of a victorious US Open and was a finalist last year and, a little further behind, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, even Stefanos Tsitsipas.
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Is there a big favorite among the ladies?
Simona Halep, favorite of the bookmakers for a victory in the ladies.
Difficult to identify a name in particular in an extremely open competition in the absence of Ashleigh Barty, winner in 2019 and Naomi Osaka, the third player in the world.
One name comes up with insistence despite everything: that of Simona Halep, winner in 2019 and who gave up the US Open to better prepare the Parisian fortnight.
Two contested tournaments and two trophies brought back from Prague, then from Rome: the lights are green for the Romanian.
Serena Williams, who has been chasing a victory since 2015 in Paris, remains a formidable underdog, as does Vicoria Azarenka, who has returned to the forefront after joining the US Open final, lost to Naomi Osaka.
Will this edition be a financial disaster for the FFT?
The French Tennis Federation, which is organizing the tournament, is strong enough to take the shock of an unprecedented edition with ticket sales that will collapse.
These will be almost nil when they constituted about 20% of the budget of the event in recent years.
Fortunately, the event's business model, which relies heavily on TV rights (36% of revenue) as well as strong partnerships, will help weather the storm.
The FFT, whose revenues are mainly based on the French Open (260 million out of a total budget of 330 million) in 2019 will not escape savings plans in the months and years to come.
Especially after the stadium renovations undertaken for several years.
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Will there be places for surprises?
Behind the handful of big favorites (see above), several players land in the capital in excellent shape.
We think in particular of the Russian Andrey Rublev, the very regular Norwegian Casper Ruud, or Diego Schwartzman, surprise winner of Nadal in Rome and unhappy finalist against Novak Djokovic.
Why not wait for a good run from Jannik Sinner, the rising star of Italian tennis, who inherited from David Goffin in the first round.
Read also
Roland-Garros 2020: Men's Calendar
Roland-Garros 2020: Ladies' Calendar