Roland Garros - cost to other tournaments

COVID-19 has wrecked tennis this year, but while Wimbledon succumbed, ultimately cancelled, French egos determined that Roland Garros would proceed in 2020, despite its normal calendar position being dashed.

So, the second major of the year has inserted itself into the playing calendar in September, specifically 20 September - 4 October.

All things being equal, this places it just after the US Open, traditionally the final of the four GS tournaments.

On the face of it, at least there is some tennis on the horizon - great for all concerned.

However, what about the original intentions ? There was never a GS event planned for this particular fortnight when the WTA and ATP drew up their respective plans.

What happens now with WTA events in:

Tokyo, Guangzhou, Seoul and Wuhan ?

ATP events in: 

St Petersburg, Metz, Chengdu, Zhuhai and Sofia ?

These were all scheduled to take place in the fortnight which is now gazetted for Roland Garros. The focus of all the top players will be on Paris, leaving the other tournaments bare, unless some contingency plan is instituted.

To this point, nothing has been addressed, at least publicly.

On the ATP and WTA websites, calendars haven’t even been updated to account for the Roland Garros change.

The implications for rankings is also problematic, but that is worth a separate discussion.

Remembering - Madrid 2019

Twelve months ago players from both the WTA and ATP tours were allowed to congregate, and they did so in Madrid. 

The Mutua Madrid Open consisted of a Premier Mandatory tournament for the women and a Masters 1000 event for the men.

It was played on red clay at the Park Manzanares in Spain’s capital.

WTA Mutua Madrid Open

Defending champion: Petra Kvitova (10) who defeated Kiki Bertens 7-6(6) 4-6 6-3 in the 2018 final.

In the field of 64, the sixteen seeds came from the worlds top seventeen players - the only one missing was world number 11, Serena Williams, who withdrew because of a commitment to the Met Gala in New York.

Top seed was Naomi Osaka, who survived the first round. Not so fortunate were seven other seeds - Elina Svitolina (6), Aryna Sabalenka (10), Caroline Wozniacki (11), Madison Keys (13), Anett Kontaveit (14), Wang Qiang (15) and Julia Goerges (16) all departed.

Angelique Kerber (4) and Karolina Pliskova (5) lost second round encounters, and Anastasija Sevastova (12) left in the round of sixteen, albeit to seventh seed Kiki Bertens.

Quarter final results:

- Belinda Bencic defeated Naomi Osaka (1) 3-6 6-2 7-5

- Simona Halep (3) defeated Ashleigh Barty (9) 7-5 7-5

- Sloane Stephens (8) defeated Petra Martic 6-4 6-3

- Kiki Bertens (7) defeated Petra Kvitova (2) 6-2 6-3, avenging the final loss a year previous.

Semi final results:

- Simona Halep (3) defeated Belinda Bencic 6-2 6-7(2) 6-0

- Kiki Bertens (7) defeated Sloane Stephens (8) 6-2 7-5

Final result:

- Kiki Bertens (7) defeated Simona Halep (3) 6-4 6-4, to become the first winner of the tournament not to drop a set throughout.

ATP Mutua Madrid Open

Defending champion: Alexander Zverev (2) who defeated Dominic Thiem (5) 6-4 6-4 in the 2018 final.

In the field of 56, the sixteen seeds came from the worlds top nineteen players - the three missing were Kevin Anderson (world #6), John (#10) Milos Raonic (#16).  They withdrew with elbow, foot and knee injuries respectively.

Top seed was Novak Djokovic, who survived the first round. Seeds who fell at the first hurdle were Daniil Medvedev (12), Borna Coric (13), Nikoloz Basilashvili (14) and Marco Cecchinato (16).

Juan Martin del Potro (7) and Karen Khachanov (11) left in the second round, and the round of sixteen was the end for Kei Nishikori (6), Fabio Fognini (10) and Gaël Monfils (15).

Fognini lost to Thiem and Monfils to Federer, so their departures were expected.

Quarter final results:

- Novak Djokovic (1) received a walkover from Marin Cilic (9)

- Dominic Thiem (5) defeated Roger Federer (4) 3-6 7-6(11) 6-4

- Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) defeated Alexander Zverev (3) 7-5 3-6 6-2

- Rafael Nadal (2) defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-1 6-2

Semi final results:

- Novak Djokovic (1) defeated Dominic Thiem (5) 7-6(2) 7-6(4)

- Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) defeated Rafael Nadal (2) 6-4 2-6 6-3

Final result:

- Novak Djokovic (1) defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) 6-3 6-4 to record his 33rd Masters 1000 title.

The 2019 Mutua Madrid Open was the final professional tournament for David Ferrer.