French Open 2020: Crowds slashed again to 1000 per day amid rising cases of Coronavirus in France


French Open 2020: Crowds slashed again to 1000 per day amid rising cases of Coronavirus in France

A maximum of 1000 fans will be allowed per day to view the French Open this year at the stadiums. Earlier about 5000 fans were to be allowed in the stadium. However, amid growing cases of Coronavirus in France, the government has insisted on tougher restrictions and as a result, crowds have been slashed from 5000 to 1000 fans per day which is just about 3% of the total attendance last year.

This has been the 3rd time when the crowds have been slashed at the French Open 2020 and as a result, the tournament organizers are facing a lot of criticism over their constant need to change the crowd numbers.

From planning to have 11,500 fans per day to just 1000 per day: French Open organizers crticised

Last month, French Open organizers had attempted to allow 20,000 fans every day at the stadium. However, that number was reduced to 11,500 three weeks ago. The organizers were determined to allow 11,500 fans everyday at the French Open at three different courts. The number was again reduced to 5,000 fans amid growing cases of Coronavirus in France.

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The French Open Chief, Guy Forget hoped to protect the 5,000 fans limit set by the organizers. He said, “We are able to accommodate 5,000, as small as it is, on a 12-hectare area, we stage the tournament on the equivalent of 15 football fields, everyone wears a mask, even the ball boy and girls and even the chair umpires.”

However, on Friday, the numbers were again slashed to 1000 fans due to safety concerns and tighter restrictions in place in France. France recorded a huge spike in cases as it reported over 16,000 coronavirus cases on a single day on Thursday. More patients are being hospitalized which is putting pressure on the hospitals to provide for beds.

French Open organizers have been criticized for their inability to gauge the situation and set a limit on the number of fans. The daily limit of 1000 fans is just 3% of last year’s crowds and it will have huge financial repercussions for the tournament organizers. In 2019, French Open accounted for 80% of the French Tennis Federation’s revenue and this year with just 1000 fans allowed per day it is set to take a huge drop.

Also Read: French Open 2020 suffers another blow