Players want Grand Slam near Roland Garros

DUBAI — Last year’s two French Open finalists have given their full backing to keeping the Grand Slam within the close confines of Roland Garros in western Paris.

By Alex Leach

Published: Wed 16 Feb 2011, 11:55 PM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 10:08 AM

Runner-up Sam Stosur and 2010 champion Francesca Schiavone have spoken in support of the Federation Francaise de Tennis’ (FFT) decision on Sunday to reject three rival projects that were bidding to host the clay-court event from 2016 onwards in favour of its traditional home.

Sites at – or near – Gonesse, the Palace of Versailles and Marne-la-Vallee, which also hosts Disneyland Paris, lost out in the voting process and Stosur and Schiavone were pleased with the outcome given the stadium’s memorable significance in their respective careers. “It’s a great venue,” Australian Stosur, 26, enthused. “It’s a lot smaller than the other Grand Slams, but maybe that adds to all of the feel – and the prestige – there is about playing there.“Once you set something good up in one place, you never know what it could be like if you move it. It’s nice that it is able to stay there and, if they can keep improving the facilities, then why change something that’s working?”

Schiavone, who beat Stosur 6-4, 7-6 (2) last June, added: “For me, it’s great to come back and smell the emotion I remember really well.”

Meanwhile, FFT president Jean Gachassin reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to continuity, as opposed to change, after opting to stay put for the foreseeable future.

“It’s a historic choice, probably the most important for our federation since its creation,” he said of the pledge to renovate Roland Garros, which beat the Marne-la-Vallee alternative by a two-thirds majority in the final run-off of voting. “This decision has been made against the fashion for having things on giant scales, but it’s a project which is resolutely focused on the future. This hasn’t been a default choice. The Paris project was the most beautiful of the four.”

An official FFT statement also read: “We back the project to create a new Roland Garros venue, extending and modernising the historic venue at Porte D’Auteuil.”

The verdict hasn’t however been warmly welcomed by everyone connected to French tennis, with former Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo disapproving of Roland Garros’ comparatively small size for spectators. “I think that in Paris we don’t have the possibility to have the necessary space to develop Roland Garros,” the 31-year-old added. “We are the smallest of the four Grand Slams and I think it is important to have the chance to grow and for the public to have more room.”