Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Djokovic to play French Open semi away from main show court

Published 06/02/2016, 02:40 PM
Updated 06/02/2016, 02:50 PM
© Reuters. Tennis - French Open Mens Singles Quarterfinal match - Roland Garros - Novak Djokovic of Serbia vs Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic

© Reuters. Tennis - French Open Mens Singles Quarterfinal match - Roland Garros - Novak Djokovic of Serbia vs Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic

By Julien Pretot

PARIS (Reuters) - World number one Novak Djokovic will play his French Open semi-final on Friday away from the main show court after organizers were forced to stage four semi-finals on the same day in the rain-ravaged grand slam tournament.

Djokovic, looking to win the only major to elude him, will take on Austrian Dominic Thiem on Court Suzanne Lenglen after the completion of the women's last four encounter between Spain's Garbine Muguruza and Samantha Stosur.

Djokovic, who will be contesting his 30th major semi-final, is no stranger to playing a last-four showdown away from main stage. In 2007, his Wimbledon semi-final against Rafael Nadal took place on Court One.

World number two Andy Murray and defending champion Stan Wawrinka will face each other on the main Court Philippe Chatrier following the match between women's holder Serena Williams and Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens.

Tournament director Guy Forget, who has been criticized for allegedly pushing competitors to play in the rain on Tuesday following Monday's complete washout, said organizers wanted to ensure all players were treated equally.

After announcing that tickets for the Lenglen matches would cost 20 euros, he said: "Our priority is that we can play the finals on Saturday and Sunday.

"There is no ideal solution, you must find compromises. There is a choice to make... Tomorrow the playing conditions will be tough, the goal is to finish tomorrow's matches.

"To ensure fairness, we needed to start both men's semi-final at the same time so that both winners can have the same rest time."

The women's matches will start at 1100 GMT (7 AM ET) and the men's semi-finals will not start before 1300 GMT (9 AM ET).

Women's semi-finals at Roland Garros are usually played on Thursday and the men's on Friday.

© Reuters. Tennis - French Open Mens Singles Quarterfinal match - Roland Garros - Novak Djokovic of Serbia vs Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic

The last time a French Open final was completed on a Monday was in 2012, when Nadal beat Djokovic. It was the first time since 1973 that the claycourt major's final was played on a Monday.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.