PARIS – With the new $55 million (50 million euros) retractable roof shut atop a barren Court Philippe Chatrier — where the red clay has dimmed to an orange-brown, the court’s white lines have all but faded and there’s no net — the French Open’s main stadium was transformed into a far more imposing and modern-looking facility.
But without any fans yelling and clapping on Wednesday, it felt a bit like standing inside a silent and empty space ship. The site sits sans spectators this week: The clay-court Grand Slam tournament was postponed from now until September because of the coronavirus pandemic.
When — or if — the French Open is held later in 2020, though, it is possible there could be zero — or a limited number — of people allowed to