French Open to Allow Fans in Stands

FILE PHOTO: A general view shows the renovated Philippe Chatrier central court at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 10, 2019. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows the renovated Philippe Chatrier central court at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 10, 2019. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/File Photo
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French Open to Allow Fans in Stands

FILE PHOTO: A general view shows the renovated Philippe Chatrier central court at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 10, 2019. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows the renovated Philippe Chatrier central court at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 10, 2019. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/File Photo

The French Open will allow fans to attend this year's postponed tournament.

The French Tennis Federation said Thursday up to 60% of the stands can be filled with fans when play starts in September at Roland Garros.

Tickets will go on sale on July 16 for the Sept. 27-Oct. Oct. 11 tournament.

The clay-court tournament had been scheduled to start on May 24 but was postponed to Sept. 20 because of the coronavirus pandemic. It then got pushed back another week.

The FFT has prepared a health and safety protocol to ensure the safety of fans. No more than four people can sit together in one group and there must also be one chair left empty between each mini-group of people in the same row.

“The number of spectators allowed in the stadium will be 50%-60% of the usual capacity,” the FFT said. “This reduction will allow strict distancing measures to be respected.”

Wearing masks is recommended but will not be obligatory when fans line up outside or sit in the stands, but must be worn when fans are moving around inside the grounds.

Hand sanitizers will also be available.



Italian Rally Driver Matteo Doretto Dies Aged 21 after Crash

The European Rally Championship logo
The European Rally Championship logo
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Italian Rally Driver Matteo Doretto Dies Aged 21 after Crash

The European Rally Championship logo
The European Rally Championship logo

Italian rally driver Matteo Doretto has died in an accident while testing his car in Poland, the European Rally Championship said.

Doretto was conducting a private test session on Wednesday morning for the upcoming Rally Poland “when he lost his life in an accident,” the ERC said in a statement late Wednesday. It added that co-driver Samuele Pellegrino was unhurt.

The Automobile Club of Italy said Doretto hit a tree while testing his Peugeot 208 car in northeastern Poland.

The 21-year-old Doretto was the Italian junior champion last year and was in his first season in the ERC. He was fourth in the junior standings.

“With potential in abundance, Matteo was polite, engaging but, above all, modest,” the ERC said.