Roland-Garros: innovations and commitments for 2022

After two editions disrupted by the health crisis, Roland-Garros 2022 (16 May-5 June) is set to be a festival of tennis for players and spectators alike. “We are delighted that the health situation has improved significantly and that things are looking up again,” said French Tennis Federation (FFT) President Gilles Moretton. “The lights are green and we’re looking forward to a full-scale Roland-Garros.” We take a look at all the innovations at this year’s Parisian Grand Slam and the commitments the tournament is making.

An ambitious and new-look sporting schedule

“The challenge facing us is to preserve the soul of Roland-Garros while bringing it into a new era,” said Tournament Director Amélie Mauresmo at a press conference. “We have to uphold tradition and consolidate the tournament’s position in the modern world.”

The organisers of Roland-Garros will this year be offering 21 sporting events to spectators. They include the wheelchair tennis tournament with The Adecco Group, which comprises men’s and women’s competitions, each with newly expanded fields of 12 players each, an increase on the eight of previous years. The quad tennis competitions have also grown in size, from four players to eight. In yet another development, two wheelchair tennis matches will be on the order of play at the Philippe-Chatrier Court for the very first time (on 3 and 4 June at 11am), which will give the discipline some great exposure.

Not to be outdone, the Suzanne-Lenglen Court will host a number of Legends Trophy matches at the end of the tournament. The event will be making its return after a two-year absence , with the men all competing in one single event and the women’s draw comprising 16 players. Also making a return is the junior qualifying rounds, which will be held at the Cercle Athlétique de Montrouge Tennis Club.

Last but not least, a reminder that a 10-point final set tie-break will be introduced inthe women’s singles, men’s singles, women’s doubles, men’s doubles, girls’ singles, boys’ singles and wheelchair tennis singles events, a trial that is also being rolled out at the three other Grand Slam events. “Bringing all the tournaments into line with each other was a priority,” Mauresmo told reporters. “That’s the central idea behind this change. The four Grand Slams can’t allow themselves to be different to each other.”

Fans in the stands from morning till night, from the qualifiers to the finals

The qualifying rounds take place on 16-20 May, with players battling it out to reach the main draw. The fans will be there to cheer them on this year and will have access to almost the entire stadium complex from 18 May. As well as enjoying the action on the courts, they will also have the chance to stroll the grounds and leisure areas and drop in at the Grande Boutique store: “Roland-Garros 2022 will be a full-scale event,” said Mauresmo. “We really wanted to put on a three-week event. As soon as the qualifiers get under way, we want the public to make the most of the matches and the stadium.”

Saturday 21 May – the day after the qualifiers come to an end – will see the return of the Roland-Garros Kids’ Day, a charity event featuring exhibition matches and a whole host of events and activities. “All the players in the main draw will be there in one way or another,” said the tournament director. “We have to inspire children to dream as they’re the generation who will be picking up the baton.”

Spectators will this year also have the opportunity to watch no fewer than ten night sessions – this time in front of full houses – on the Philippe-Chatrier Court. The sessions will run from 23 May to 1 June, with the action starting at 21:00. The highlight of the day, these sessions will have an electrifying atmosphere, with the new courtside LED panels adding to the spectacle and sense of occasion from the moment the players step on to the court right the way through to match point.

We will be pulling out all the stops this year to ensure that the players enjoy the best possible match atmosphere. With this in mind, we’ll be issuing 1,500 “Annexes Up” tickets, the holders of which will be able to access the outside courts and lower tier of the Philippe-Chatrier Court when there are lots of empty seats. “One of our priorities is to make sure that the Philippe-Chatrier Court is as full as it can be,” said Mauresmo. “Having two types of tickets is a major challenge but our initiatives are additional tools in this respect.”

Roland-Garros and its commitments

Responsible and committed, the tournament has come up with a series of new, inclusive and socially aware actions in 2022. Aside from the Roland-Garros Kids’ Day, which provides support for the charity Fête le Mur and funding for the activities of FFT-affiliated clubs, the Everyone in a Wheelchair Day will take place on Friday 3 June. As was the case during last year’s qualifying rounds, tickets costing €10 will be on sale for under-25s and 2,400 tickets will also be made available to charities with links to the FFT and its partners. In doing their bit, players are also invited to donate their kit and equipment in special containers set up by the charity Emmaüs Solidarité in the locker rooms.

In fulfilling its commitments, Roland-Garros will again make every effort to reduce its carbon footprint in terms of mobility, food, the fight against waste and thanks to its renewable energy contract.

The return of the famous Green Teams and the the Fresque Ecologie du Tennis game (an educational team game) will also raise spectator awareness about sustainable development.

The best possible welcome for players

To allow the players to focus solely on their matches, the tournament’s organiser have drawn on their expertise and resources to ensure they each receive the best possible welcome. With that in mind, we have given them more accommodation to choose from (21 hotels within 5km of Roland Garros, as the crow flies, to cut down on travel times) and given a little extra thought to the facilities they’ll be using (restaurants, treatment rooms, etc).

Special attention will also be given to their mental health and well-being, with a wellness bubble being made available for them to rest, take some time for themselves and focus.

Move the lines, with style

The Parisian Grand Slam is entering a new era and the Roland-Garros brand is looking to shake things up and showcase a new kind of modernity that is accessible to everyone, while staying true to the tradition of this major global tennis event. Reflecting this ambition, a new slogan – “Move the lines, with style” – will now provide the tagline for the various actions led by the Roland-Garros brand. In doing so, the Parisian Grand Slam is asserting its uniqueness and its desire to push boundaries to better promote the values it embodies, namely fighting spirit, a sense of daring, elegance and commitment.