Organizers of the French Open 2020 recently caused quite an uproar in the tennis fraternity by announcing a change in dates. They did so quite secretively, keeping everything under the wraps until the moment they made the announcement. Apart from that, some players, fans and governing bodies of tennis were indignant about being kept in the dark, while others were not happy with the new dates. Andrey Rublev gave his take on the subject.

The coronavirus pandemic is more real than anything else right now. It has disrupted every aspect of life across the globe. Sporting events were always going to suffer as a consequence of it.

In most sports, rescheduling events and matches won’t be the biggest issue. With a few adjustments here and there, reducing the off-season and it can be taken care of. When it comes to tennis, the whole picture changes.

Andrey Rublev positive about new dates

The tennis season is simply crammed with events throughout the year. With no tennis possible for more than two months, rescheduling all events is not really viable. It would be like trying to put together a puzzle without the picture on the box, or indeed all the pieces.

Most events are outdoors, meaning there are too many factors to consider while rescheduling an event.

Now the French Open is one of the most prestigious events in sports. If there is a possibility of some tennis being played this year, the priority surely has to be the four Grand Slams. Nothing is better than Grand Slams.

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With very limited options and time-slots, the officials of the clay Major came to a tough decision.

Roland Garros will take place just a week after the US Open concludes, giving players very little time to acclimatize to the vastly different courts of Paris.

Suffice to say, they had little choice.

Many in the tennis community grumbled about the change. Andrey Rublev, though, has a very positive outlook on the episode.

“At first, I was surprised by the announcement, but I think it’s better to play Roland Garros later than to suspend the event completely. Unlike team sports, tennis players don’t have a monthly salary. We earn money based on the results we get in tournaments. If we don’t play, we can’t get anything. I believe this is good news, with Roland Garros that offers big prize money for many players.”

The Russian youngster makes a very valid point. Tennis players earn money by playing in competitions. given the current situation, we know nobody is making any money.

While the top-players can survive for years without incoming funds, the lower-ranked players suffer. Tennis is an expensive sport to pursue, and not every player can sustain their careers if the suspension persists for too long.

Players moaning about the tight schedule is understandable, but I would rather watch all Majors go ahead than to skip them completely.