Lack of Court Lights in Paris is a Growing Concern

Written by: Staff on 6th June 2012

Lack of Court Lights in Paris is a Growing Concern

epa03247954 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France returns to Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland during their round of 16 match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 03 June 2012. EPA/YOAN VALAT |

Change is coming at the French Open but the march of technology will take time at Roland Garros and tournament director Gilbert Ysern has told players they must be patient amidst calls for flood-lighting to visibility in evening play.

Despite a change in the French government, which many feared might complicate the plans to extend the site of the clay-court Grand Slam, Ysern confirmed everything is still on schedule but that the new stadium court, complete with retractable roof and lighting, will not be ready for competition until 2017.

After a first week of near perfect weather, disregarding one torrential downpour, the second week of this French Open has been blighted by overcast skies and poorer visibility for the later scheduled matches.

Unlike other Grand Slam venues such as Melbourne Park, Flushing Meadows and even the All England Club, there is not a solitary floodlight to be found at Roland Garros.

Ysern is adamant the Parisian city administration currently prohibit any form of ‘night play’ out of deference to the residential property that borders onto the Roland Garros site in the 16th arrondissement near the Bois be Boulogne.

“It’s a topic that is a bit sensitive,” maintained Ysern, intimating that he would have no objection to installing floodlights immediately. “We have a complex that has been approved for competition during the day, not at night. We are not allowed to play at night. That’s what the law says and today, we still don’t have an answer.”

Several players, notably those who have lost matches staged in the evening hours, have been critical of the situation. The French Federation de Tennis still refuses to employ Hawk Eye line calling technology, preferring instead to use the official’s eye sight and marks in the clay as arbitration.

Stanislas Wawrinka, the 18th seed who lost in the fourth round, said: “I still don’t understand why they don’t have lights here, because every year it’s the same problem.”

f, a semi-finalist two years ago added: “Ok, there are no actual night sessions here. But lets at least have decent lights so that you can finish the match in good visibility.”

Topics: FrenchOpen 2012, Gilbert Ysern, Roland Garros tennis news, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tomas Berdych

Follow 10SBALLS.COM on:

Facebook:

Twitter:

10sBalls Top Stories

In Case You Missed It

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA

Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.

TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE

Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!

TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER

According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!

Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife

Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos

ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia hits a forehand to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during her second round match at the Nature Valley International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, Great Britain, on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.