French Open could be postponed, says sports minister

PARIS - French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu said there is a possibility that the French Open could be postponed for the second year due to the worsening COVID-19 crisis.

Last year's clay Grand Slam had been put off for four months because of the coronavirus pandemic. Maracineanu told French media over the weekend that the postponement could happen again this year.

"We are in discussion with them (the French Tennis Federation, which organizes the event) to see if we should change the date to coincide with a possible resumption of all sports and major events," Maracineanu said.

"Today, although high-level sport has been preserved, we try to limit the risks of clusters, of spreading the virus within professional sports."

The French Open was due to take place at Roland Garros from May 23 to June 6, with the qualifying rounds starting one week earlier.

France is being hit by the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic and the country has entered into a national lockdown, which will last for at least one month, starting from last weekend.