French Open to Stay at Roland Garros After Relocation Rejected

Major international tennis tournament, the French Open will not be relocated from its long-standing stay at Roland Garros after the nation’s tennis federation ruled against plans to move the competition to the Paris suburbs from 2016, which would have ended a home at the venue lasting over 80 years.

A statement from the French Tennis Federation (FFT) confirmed that delegates chose the “enlargement and modernisation” of the current site over the other bids from Versailles, Gonesse and a site in Marne-la-Vallee close to Disneyland Paris.

Sunday (February 13) saw a federation ballot in which Gonesse was eliminated in the first round, Versailles in the second and Paris taking 70 per cent of the final-round votes.

“Members of the French Tennis Federation, who have met this weekend for a general assembly, have chosen the project of the city of Paris, which envisages the enlargement and modernisation of the historic site at Porte d’Auteuil for the new Roland Garros,” a statement said.

“It chose an ambitious, prestigious project resolutely looking to the future.”

FFT president Jean Gachassin added: “Our ambition was to offer a project with a real future and of a very high quality – to improve the reception and the comfort of the players and spectators.”

That project will see 35 outside courts built, as well as a new media centre and a centre court with a retractable roof, which will mean matches can be played in inclement weather as well as at night – although it is still expected to be the smallest of the four Grand Slam venues.