The clay-court tournament begins this Sunday. Since 2006, the organizers have postponed the date of the start of Roland-Garros, the only Grand Slam which opens its fortnight on a weekend day.
This particularity has existed for Roland-Garros for 17 years, starting on a Sunday, and it is the only Grand Slam to apply it. This measure was imposed in 2006 by the former president of the French Tennis Federation Christian Bîmes. A time decried by the players, it ended up imposing itself and today becomes the norm for tennis players.
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Financial interest
This measure introduced by the former manager represents above all a financial advantage. In terms of ticketing, this opens up one more day of sales for main draw matches. Especially since families can take advantage of Sundays, unlike weekdays when they cannot free themselves, to buy tickets.
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Being able to attend the first round on a weekend day is a godsend for spectators who pay for a ticket at a lower cost than a place for the final stages. It is also a winning choice for TV stations that take advantage of viewers watching the program at home.
Juggling player desires
In return, the organizers must offer headliners on Sunday to the spectators. A complex juggling with the players because some are reluctant to get into the deep end on the first day. The Swiss Roger Federer, for example, has long refused to start on Sunday.
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Spreading the first round over three days instead of two also allows for a less busy schedule to schedule the 128 matches. But, be careful, having one more day to organize the meetings can be a headache if the rain gets involved even if this year it should not be invited.
2023-05-28 10:11:01
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