After an entire week of blistering heat, the players of Roland Garros have been forced to deal with another weather extreme for the quarter-finals: gale-force winds.
Wind speeds hit 28 miles per hour on Wednesday, 3rd June’s order of play, which caused havoc for Aryna Sabalenka in her clash with Diana Shnaider.
Sabalenka struggled in the winds, which aided her capitulation from 6-3, 4-1 up to confirm her shock exit from the Grand Slam for another year.
Felix Auger-Aliassime’s quarter-final match with Flavio Cobolli followed, but Roland Garros made the decision to keep the roof open, despite the wins.
John McEnroe, who was commentating for TNT Sports on the match, believes the Grand Slam made a mistake by not closing the roof of Philippe-Chatrier.
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Asked if the roof should’ve been closed following Aryna Sabalenka’s semi-final match with Diana Shnaider, McEnroe simply responded: “Yes.”
The American legend continued: “Me personally, I want to see quality and the way to give yourself the best chance is to close the roof in this situation.”
McEnroe believes the players at Roland Garros this year have been dealt a difficult hand when it comes to the weather, with Paris experience a variety of climates.
“These players in this tournament have probably dealt with more challenging situations than any tournament I can recall. Brutal heat, all of sudden these gusty winds. The good news it’s not hot.”
The Roland Garros organisers eventually listened to McEnroe’s pleas as the roof on Philippe-Chatrier was closed after the first set between Auger-Aliassime and Cobolli.
Auger-Aliassime took the first set by a scoreline of 6-4, before the conditions were dramatically changed by the closure of the roof.
Roland Garros officials have been forced to deal with several tough situations at the Grand Slam this year, and they’ve come under fire more than once.
Players, including Casper Ruud, have complained about their safety on court, while the largest fine in Roland Garros history has been dished out.
Adolfo Daniel Vallejo was issued a €65,000 for saying his match with Moise Koaume should have been umpired by a male official instead of a women.
That was a decision that McEnroe rallied against too. Speaking on TNT Sports, the American believed the fine was far too high for a player of his Vallejo’s stature.
“Here’s the thing: €65,000 to say something asinine? That seems absurd! I can see $5000, maybe $10,000. This guy, he doesn’t make the type of money.
“For this guy to walk out, he’s obviously stupid, but that is a big time fine. It’s his second language. He’s not a natural English speaker. He speaks Spanish. You’ve got to cut the guy a little slack.”
Roland Garros has also come under fire for its lack of Electronic Line Calling, particularly after Ruud was cost a set against Joao Fonseca due to an incorrect call from an umpire.
Despite the unforgettable action on the court, it’s been a tournament to forget for the organisers.
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