Bad atmosphere at Roland-Garros: “Alcohol in the stands is over”, “We will remove the people concerned”, the tournament toughens the tone

Amélie Mauresmo spoke to around fifty journalists. B.R.

The Director of Roland-Garros Amélie Mauresmo came to a press conference to take stock of the atmosphere during the matches as well as the problem of crowds on the Court Philippe-Chatrier.

What is your reaction after David Goffin's statements on the bad atmosphere in the stands ?

There are several things I would like to tell you about all of this. It’s true that we observed, after Covid, an evolution, in any case, in people’s behavior in terms of atmosphere, etc. So we were quite satisfied from that point of view. And then we observed, particularly with David the other day, that there were a few people who, indeed, concretely exceeded the limit. We will be uncompromising on respect for the players, on respect for the game. And that, the Roland-Garros tournament, I, personally, passed the instructions in that direction. Whether to the chair umpires, during the game, if there are things between the first or second balls, to be hyper reactive to everything That. Trying to control the course and what happens. Whether in terms of security too, that is to say that if there is the slightest behavior that goes beyond the limit, it will be released.

And regarding alcohol?

The instructions were also passed from this point of view. Because alcohol was allowed in the stands until now. So, not in all the stands. Player Stand, no. Presidential tribune, neither,  etc. But overall, it was authorized. So that's over.

This will mean that people may be taken out of the stadium?

Oh yes. What I want is to preserve, as I said, this enthusiasm around tennis, this enthusiasm around the game and around the Roland-Garros tournament, like other events. On the other hand , yes, if we exceed the limit, if we don't behave well, if we harangue the crowd, or if we throw things at the players, that's nothing. That is to say, yes, we will remove the people concerned, that is very clear. The instructions are given, there will be no hesitation.

Can we talk about the lack of attendance on the Court Philippe-Chatrier ?

It's clear that we bring this up every year and I'm the first to want to see these stands full. For now, I am the first to have had enough of seeing these empty stands. And clearly, we're trying things. We're trying to open classes, if necessary, because I think people are leaving too. I think that experiencing Roland-Garros, with the rain, with perhaps a temperature that is less good, is perhaps less pleasant. There are perhaps people who do not come , quite simply,  etc. The dressing rooms are the same, we open. Also, when people are having lunch, the people who are supposed to be in the dressing room, we open. But then, we can't take people and force them to be there.