The metal superstructure weighs half that of the Eiffel Tower, around 3,700 tonnes, said the French Tennis Federation's director-general Jean-François Vilotte. The roof will eventually allow for night sessions to be played even if Roland Garros still lags behind similar developments at the other three Slams. This year's tournament will also see the debut of Court Simonne-Mathieu, a 5,000-seat arena named in honour of a WWII resistance hero and a former Roland Garros champion. At one stage, exasperated Roland Garros chiefs toyed with the idea of upping sticks out of Paris to start afresh in the suburbs. The 10,000-seater Court Suzanne Lenglen remains although Roland Garros' Court One 'bullring' is earmarked for demolition once the 2019 tournament ends.

Source: Daily Nation May 23, 2019 07:52 UTC