Decision on Roland Garros Expansion is Approaching

Written by: Staff on 26th September 2010

Decision on Roland Garros Expansion is Approaching

Rafael Nadal (ESP) 2010 Men's Singles Champion |

When Rafael Nadal hit his title winning shot against Robin Soderling to win the French Open in early June the long-term future of the event at its traditional Roland Garros home seemed bleak. But things have taken a turn for the better in recent weeks.

No definitive decision on whether to move or stay has yet been made; that will have to wait until next February. However the prime issue is allocating the French Tennis Federation (FFT) room to expand because of overcrowding and the need for another stadium court, with a retractable roof. Opposition from the local public and environmentalists determined to maintain the Bois de Boulogne area has been fierce.

Much of those concerns could be allayed by the Paris city council’s decision to allow the FFT use of the Jean Bouin stadium, providing space for 17 courts adjacent to Roland Garros.

“There’s been progress for the project ‘Roland Garros within Roland Garros’ although nothing is final,” said FFT president Jean Gachassin.

“Recently we were granted a concession to the Jean Bouin stadium, which is huge because it means 17 courts some 100 metres from Roland Garros. Obviously, there is a soul at Roland Garros. We have to take this into account.”

Roland Garros, which has been home to the French Open since it began 85 years ago, spans 8.5 hectares, less than half the size of the 18.5 hectares at Wimbledon’s All-England Club.

There are also no covered courts at the Grand Slam venue, leaving the French Open lagging behind both Wimbledon and the Australian Open.

Earlier this year French Open tournament director and FFT chief executive Gilbert Ysern revealed that a total of four new locations, all over 15km away from the city center, were actively under consideration to be a new home for the summit of clay court tennis, including historic Versailles and Disneyland Paris.

“In many, many different ways the facility has become a little too small, mainly compared to the other three grand slams,” said Ysern.

“We are looking to expand, which is not an easy thing, but as you can imagine just being inside Paris, it is difficult to push the wall and find more and more space outside the current facility. If we cannot find a solution here we will have to move.”

Topics: Australian Open, Clay Court, Court Tennis, Definitive Decision, Disneyland Paris, England Club, Environmentalists, French Open, French Tennis Federation, Grand Slam, Grand Slams, Many Different Ways, Overcrowding, Paris City, Prime Issue, Rafael Nadal, Robin Soderling, Roland Garros, Tournament Director, Winning Shot