"Going to be very tight": French Open, Wimbledon speculations begin

As the tennis tours begin an extended hiatus forced by the growing impact of coronavirus, there's still little indication of when tournaments might restart—and that is leading to increasing questions about the status of the French Open.

The ATP Tour has suspended play until four weeks before Roland Garros, with the WTA Tour to make a decision about its European clay-court events next week. But with Spain and Italy still grappling with increasing coronavirus cases, there are doubts about whether still-scheduled tournaments in Madrid and Rome can be played, especially if there are still government restrictions on travel and public gatherings.

There has also been a similar ban by the French government on any public gathering of more than 1,000 until further notice. The French federation has just cancelled its own leagues.

Organizers are unsure whether they would consider holding the event with no spectators in the stands, like some other sports had been doing.

"That also poses problems," French Open tournament director Guy Forget told L'Equipe. "If it is going to be viable there has to be time, but at the same time it's going to arrive rapidly... The unknown is the amount of time it is going to be going on."

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The clay-court major gets about a third of its 200 million Euro earnings from ticket sales.

There will also not be a decision about whether to play or to cancel the tournament until further into the season.

"I think, as a priority, of the health of the spectators and players," Forget said. "We will explore all the possibilities but anyway, it is not going to be up to the French federation. We will follow the recommendations [of the government]."

But with two months still to go, according to WTA CEO Steve Simon, there is the potential for circumstances to improve.

"I would be hopeful that in that time... things would have gotten back to whatever the new norm is and the French Open would be able to happen," he told the New York Times. "But I think it is going to be very tight and I know they have to be very nervous."

There have been fewer restrictions implemented in Great Britain, and also several more weeks till the start of Wimbledon. Still, there are concerns about the delayed effects of the lack of restrictions. The All England Club, which organizes Wimbledon, was among the various British sporting authorities convened this week to discuss plans for their events.

According to a Daily Mail story, it said it would prefer to cancel the tournament rather than hold it with no spectators. It also has insurance that would allow it to provide refunds to its ticket holders.

All play on the ATP, WTA and ITF tours has been suspended for at least another five weeks.