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French Open to Reveal 2nd Retractable Roof Court at Roland Garros Ahead of Olympics

This photograph taken on April 25, 2024, shows a view of the Court Suzanne-Lenglen with its new retractable roof and a Roland Garros Paris logo after a press conference presenting the 2024 edition of the Roland Garros Grand Slam tennis tournament, at the Roland Garros stadium complex in Paris. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP)
This photograph taken on April 25, 2024, shows a view of the Court Suzanne-Lenglen with its new retractable roof and a Roland Garros Paris logo after a press conference presenting the 2024 edition of the Roland Garros Grand Slam tennis tournament, at the Roland Garros stadium complex in Paris. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP)
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French Open to Reveal 2nd Retractable Roof Court at Roland Garros Ahead of Olympics

This photograph taken on April 25, 2024, shows a view of the Court Suzanne-Lenglen with its new retractable roof and a Roland Garros Paris logo after a press conference presenting the 2024 edition of the Roland Garros Grand Slam tennis tournament, at the Roland Garros stadium complex in Paris. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP)
This photograph taken on April 25, 2024, shows a view of the Court Suzanne-Lenglen with its new retractable roof and a Roland Garros Paris logo after a press conference presenting the 2024 edition of the Roland Garros Grand Slam tennis tournament, at the Roland Garros stadium complex in Paris. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP)

The second retractable roof at Roland Garros will be inaugurated on the opening day of the French Open next month, organizers said on Thursday about a project planned with the Paris Olympics in mind.
A ceremony for the roof over the 10,000-seat Suzanne Lenglen court will be held on May 26 when play starts in the main draws, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said at a news conference.
Even before the inauguration for the two-week tournament, the roof can be closed if rain comes during qualifying rounds on the six previous days, The Associated Press reported.
The main 15,000-seat Philippe Chatrier court has had a retractable roof since 2020.
“It is a court that will help us a lot,” Mauresmo said, calling it the “most visible new feature” of the 2024 tournament.
Mauresmo praised the new roof as giving more flexibility in scheduling matches and ensuring play for 25,000 fans on the grounds and TV viewers worldwide.
The two roofed courts will help keep the Olympic tournament on schedule from July 27-Aug. 4 at the Paris Games. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, matches in open-air courts were disrupted by searing heat and humidity.
Rafael Nadal, the record 14-time French Open men’s singles champion, doubted on Wednesday he will be ready for Roland Garros as he's dealing with injuries at age 37.
“We cross our fingers for him and for us. He’s at home and he knows it,” Mauresmo said, hours before Nadal was due on court at the Madrid Open. “We are waiting to see what happens and we will follow his desires.”
Nadal, an Olympic gold medalist in singles and doubles, is expected at Roland Garros for the Summer Games, and could play doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, French Tennis Federation official Stéphane Morel suggested.
Roland Garros also stages boxing finals in the second week of the Olympics. Mauresmo said the extra attractions had only a positive effect on demand for the French Open.
The tournament is sold out for the first week with daily crowds of 75,000 expected, and about 650,000 across the three weeks including qualifying.

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Salah Will Get Fitting Liverpool Farewell Despite Injury, Says Van Dijk

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 25, 2026 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 25, 2026 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
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Salah Will Get Fitting Liverpool Farewell Despite Injury, Says Van Dijk

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 25, 2026 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 25, 2026 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is certain Mohamed Salah will get the send-off his glittering career deserves, even if injury prevents the Egyptian from playing again for the Reds.

Salah, who will leave Anfield after nine years at the end of the season, was forced off with a suspected hamstring injury in Saturday's 3-1 win over Crystal Palace.

Liverpool are awaiting the results of a scan to determine the extent of the problem, but with just four games of the campaign remaining, the 33-year-old may not feature again this season.

"If you get injured at this stage of the season, especially in the situation he is in, there is only two more home games left for him, it's a combination of feelings that go through your mind," said Van Dijk.

"He will get the send-off regardless. I don't think that is the thing at this point, we shouldn't think too far ahead.

"Knowing Mo, he is a quick healer and with the right people around him let's see."

Salah has scored 257 goals in 440 appearances since his arrival in 2017, behind only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in Liverpool's list of leading goalscorers.

The winger has been integral to the club's rise back to the top of English and European football, winning the Champions League and two Premier League titles among a clutch of trophies.

Salah also scooped the players' player of the year award a record three times and was the Premier League's top scorer on four occasions.

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Team-First Kane Propelling Bayern to Glory as PSG Showdown Looms

Bayern Munich's English forward #09 Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal 3:4 during the German first division Bundesliga football match between 1 FSV Mainz 05 and FC Bayern Munich in Mainz, western Germany on April 25, 2026. (AFP)
Bayern Munich's English forward #09 Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal 3:4 during the German first division Bundesliga football match between 1 FSV Mainz 05 and FC Bayern Munich in Mainz, western Germany on April 25, 2026. (AFP)
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Team-First Kane Propelling Bayern to Glory as PSG Showdown Looms

Bayern Munich's English forward #09 Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal 3:4 during the German first division Bundesliga football match between 1 FSV Mainz 05 and FC Bayern Munich in Mainz, western Germany on April 25, 2026. (AFP)
Bayern Munich's English forward #09 Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal 3:4 during the German first division Bundesliga football match between 1 FSV Mainz 05 and FC Bayern Munich in Mainz, western Germany on April 25, 2026. (AFP)

Having decisively ended his own silverware drought with back-to-back Bundesliga titles, Harry Kane's team-first approach has been key for a Bayern Munich side now chasing club football's biggest prize.

Whoever makes it through Bayern's Champions League semi-final against holders Paris Saint-Germain, with the first leg in the French capital on Tuesday, will be the favorites for the final in Budapest in May.

Last season's Bundesliga title was Kane's maiden team trophy, at the age of 31. Having added another league crown this season, Bayern's habit of hoovering up trophies is already rubbing off on the England captain.

As always, Kane's individual statistics this year have been stunning. The former Tottenham forward has 53 goals in 45 games in all competitions, the most by an Englishman in any league in almost a century.

And this time around, Kane's goals have come at crucial moments of big games.

Against Real in Madrid, his long-range strike proved to be the winner.

In the second leg, Kane's first-half goal brought Bayern level on the night and put them ahead in a quarter-final tie which was in danger of getting away from them.

- 'I'm here to win the Champions League' -

Kane left England 47 goals shy of Alan Shearer's Premier League scoring record, with some commentators wondering why he would leave with the mark in sight.

But while Kane developed a reputation at Spurs for stacking up individual records rather than team honors, in hindsight the striker's pursuit of goals was a clear example of his team focus.

Since moving to Bayern, a club with quality across the pitch and a number of threats, Kane often drops to help in the build-up, sometimes deep into midfield.

Kane's willingness to sacrifice individual honors for team objectives has never been more evident than in recent weeks, when Bayern had the league largely wrapped up and needed to focus on Europe.

After Bayern beat Dortmund in February, Kane had scored four consecutive braces. With 30 goals in 24 games, he looked on course for Robert Lewandowski's single season record of 41 goals.

But since then, Kane has started just one of Bayern's seven league games, as Vincent Kompany has wrapped him in cotton wool for the big stage.

After coming off the bench to help Bayern come from three goals down to win 4-3 at Mainz on Saturday, Kane told reporters where his true focus lay.

"It'll be tough," Kane said of chasing down Lewandowski's record. "Obviously I'm here to try and win the Champions League and try and win the German Cup.

"So, ultimately that takes priority. All I can do is when I'm on the pitch, try and score, try and impact the game."

Undoubtedly the biggest star in Bayern's dressing room, Kane could have pushed back against his benching, but he backed Kompany's call with loftier goals in mind.

- 'Something special' -

Bayern were always expected to beat Mainz on Saturday, but the way they overran their opponents in the second half showed their unrelenting hunger and desire.

"This team is truly something special -- that team spirit, that mentality -- it is truly unique," sporting director Christoph Freund said afterwards.

"That gives us a tremendous amount of energy for Tuesday."

Kane called PSG "the reigning European champions for a reason," adding the French champions are "a really strong side with some great quality and are well-coached.

"There's going to be a lot of activity. It's going to come down to moments and quality."

One challenge for Bayern is the absence of coach Vincent Kompany, who is suspended for the opening leg.

Kompany's English assistant Aaron Danks will be in the dugout. Kane said Bayern, who have lost just twice in all competitions this season, are well-drilled enough without the Belgian barking orders.

"Of course we'll miss him on the sideline. He's our boss and our leader. But everyone knows what needs to be done, even if the boss isn't on the sideline."

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‘Heartbroken’ Xavi Simons Out of World Cup and Spurs Relegation Fight

25 April 2026, United Kingdom, Wolverhampton: Tottenham Hotspur's Xavi Simons is stretchered off injured during the English Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur at the Molineux stadium. (Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa)
25 April 2026, United Kingdom, Wolverhampton: Tottenham Hotspur's Xavi Simons is stretchered off injured during the English Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur at the Molineux stadium. (Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa)
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‘Heartbroken’ Xavi Simons Out of World Cup and Spurs Relegation Fight

25 April 2026, United Kingdom, Wolverhampton: Tottenham Hotspur's Xavi Simons is stretchered off injured during the English Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur at the Molineux stadium. (Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa)
25 April 2026, United Kingdom, Wolverhampton: Tottenham Hotspur's Xavi Simons is stretchered off injured during the English Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur at the Molineux stadium. (Nick Potts/PA Wire/dpa)

Xavi Simons is out of Tottenham's Premier League relegation fight and this summer's World Cup with a knee injury, the Dutch star said, describing himself as "heartbroken".

The 23-year-old midfielder was left clutching his right knee and was stretchered off in distress in Tottenham's crucial 1-0 win at already relegated Wolves on Saturday.

In an emotional post on social media late Sunday, Simons said his season was over, with reports suggesting he may have sustained a serious ACL injury that could keep him out for several months.

"They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way," Simons, who has played 34 times for his country, wrote on Instagram.

"My season has come to an abrupt end and I'm just trying to process it.

"Honestly, I'm heartbroken. None of it makes sense.

"All I've wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me, along with the World Cup.

"Representing my country this summer, just gone."

Simons' injury is a major blow to new Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi, whose side are two points from Premier League safety with four matches remaining.

He would also have played a key part for the Netherlands at the World Cup in North America starting on June 11.