With Europe seeing a fresh surge in coronavirus cases and with a new mutant strain of the pathogen driving the spike in Britain, many fear that the Wimbledon and the French Open may be delayed or canceled altogether. However, the newly appointed general manager of the French Tennis Federation has sought to dispel any fears around the French Open this year.

In an interview with leading French daily L’Equipe, Amelie Oudea Castera said the action at Roland-Garros is likely to begin on schedule.

Top organizer says she’s working to hold French Open from May 17 to June 6

Oudea added that she is working to hold the event in the agreed window in the international tennis calendar – from May 17 to June 6.

The pandemic last year forced the tournament organizers to hold the Major between September and October. However, Castera insists that the focus this year is on sticking to the agreed window for staging the event.

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In more welcome news, she informed that the tournament could see the return of crowds, though not in their usual numbers.

The 2020 edition of the event saw spectators, but the organizers had capped the limit to 20,000 each day, citing the pandemic.

“Our desire is to be able to organize the Roland-Garros tournament on the scheduled dates, from May 17 to June 6, with the most possible attendance,” the former French player said.

Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek will be the defending champions at the French Open 2021

She further said that the first lot of tickets will go on sale over the coming weeks. However, she added that the majority of the tickets in the first phase would be set aside for the kin of top office-bearers of the French Tennis Federation.

“We are launching in the upcoming days a first phase of ticket sales, which will be a bit like the ‘friends and family’ of our tennis federation,” Castera said.

While superstar Spaniard Rafael Nadal will defend the title on the men’s side this year, 19-year-old Pole Iga Swiatek will enter the women’s draw as the reigning champion.

Nadal clinched a record 13th French Open title last year, taking his career Grand Slam championship tally to 20, same as familiar foe Roger Federer.

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Swiatek, who didn’t drop a single set in the entire tournament, became the youngest since Monica Seles to win the women’s championship at Roland-Garros.