French Open organisers have no plans to ‘postpone or cancel’ tournament due to coronavirus

French Open
French Open Roland Garros

The 2020 French Open will go ahead as planned at this stage with organisers insisting they have no “postponement or cancellation” plans despite the coronavirus outbreak.

The second Grand Slam of the year is set to get under way on May 24 at Roland Garros, but the cornavirus is spreading panic and fear with many countries putting travel restrictions in place to and from the likes of China, Italy and Iran.

Nine people have already died in France due to the virus with 577 people infected.

Several sporting events across the globe have also been cancelled or postponed including a few Davis Cup ties and a couple of WTA Tour events.

AFP, though, says this year’s French Open is not under threat at this stage, but “authorities have decided to cancel events in confined spaces involving more than 5,000 people, but the outdoor clay-court tennis tournament is not affected by that decision” while they are also “studying different scenarios”.

“We are on a 13-hectare site which allows the flow of spectators to be organised very differently from football stadiums,” French Tennis Federation (FFT) director general Jean-Francois Vilotte told the press agency.

Although Court Philippe Chatrier has a roof, Vilotte insisted that it is not considered a “confined space”.

“Even with the roof closed, Court Philippe Chatrier is an outdoor court,” he said.

“It is covered, but there are spaces between the stands and the roof which make it not a confined enclosure.”

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