There’s trouble in paradise; or more specifically, the roof of paradise. The French Open looked to expand its prestige as they added a retractable roof over the Suzanne Lenglen court this year. Unfortunately, it has not stood the test of time as it is already dripping. The leakage was found during the clash between Alexander Zverev and David Goffin, which gave the already frustrated fans another weapon against the tournament. 

From day 1, many have been upset with the way the tournament is being scheduled. Furthermore, the coverage of the tournament in various countries has been abysmal. With the leaking roof, the followers have steam coming out of their ears. One user shared, “Oh-uh, the new Lenglen roof is leaking,” which led to fans making even more fun of the Roland-Garros than they already have.

Rains have plagued the French Open from the first day and several matches have been delayed. Philippe Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen courts can play matches as they come equipped with roofs. However, an attendee could already feel the issue on 28th May, “I felt it when I was there on Tuesday.”

In the 2020 European Open, Karen Khachanov was frustrated with the calls of the umpire and lashed out to say, “No way“, when his opponent earned a set point in the tie-break. A fan felt similar frustration as they shared a clip of the moment with the comment, “they can’t be serious.”

Many cities worldwide are infamous for constructing houses and buildings with several faults. Eventually, such areas end up being called a ‘ghetto‘. Watching the state of the roof in the Roland-Garros, one user said, “this ghetto slam😭.”

The troubles in the French Open have been piling up day after day, be it timings or venues. Tired of new issues coming up regularly, a local said, “lol we suck eh.”

Zverev does not have a great reputation at the moment. The German player is facing domestic violence charges. His image has been tarnished, making fans irritable of the player. Watching him complain, one user compared him to the witch in The Wizard of Oz, “is Zverev afraid to melt when touching water?“

To add to the trouble, a pigeon was stuck under the roof during the second set, which caused a short delay. The leaking roof only caused a few minutes of delay. Great matches are being played in the clay slam, but they are unfortunately overshadowed by the problems. 

Rain wreaking havoc at Roland Garros

This season’s weather in Paris hasn’t been ideal for players. The wet and cold weather, along with the occasional rain, has dampened not just the grounds but also the spirits of many players. The weather forecast is not kind to anyone, as cloud coverage is predicted to wash out clashes for several hours. A yellow alert for thunderstorms further dulls the party.

Denis Shapovalov vs Frances Tiafoe, Henri Squire vs Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Danielle Collins vs Olga Danilović are just a handful of matches that were stopped in between or after a few points. The rain, unfortunately, has no sympathy for tennis players and their fans.

The tournament directors are taking steps to fix the rampant problems. But the effects need to be apparent immediately, or it could be a disaster for the sport.