The first official night session in the history of the French Open will feature 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.
Williams, 39, will face Irina-Camelia Begu at 9 p.m. Paris time Monday under the lights of Court Chatrier. Roger Federer, also 39, is slated to play the final day match on Chatrier Monday against world No. 203 Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan.
“[Night tennis] shines a spotlight on the center court matches,” two-time French Open champion Jim Courier said last week on a Tennis Channel conference call. “Players look forward to it. Fans look forward to it. There's something special and electric about those atmospheres.”
For the first time this year, there will be nine evening sessions at the Grand Slam event. But due to a Covid-19 curfew from 9pm, eight of those sessions will be played inside an empty Court Philippe Chatrier.
“I still think there's huge value there to be able to expand your day, open it up to tennis fans that are not in that time zone,” Courier said. “It will help a lot in America for kids that come home from school, there will be live tennis on, which is exciting. I think there's definitely value there.
“There's obviously economic value for the organizers that they need to explore to keep up with the Jonses. First and foremost, it's just about what does it do for the sport as a whole. I think it's a big positive.”
When the French Open was last held last fall, Serena withdrew ahead of her second-round match with Tsvetana Pironkova due to an Achilles injury suffered at the U.S. Open.
Williams, the No. 7 seed who turns 40 in September, remains at 23 majors, one shy of Margaret Court’s all-time mark of 24, and it is important to her to attempt to tie — and break — the record.
“It’s not enough, I still want to win more,” she said earlier this season, per EuroSport.” I want that title to be solidified in concrete.”
She is 1-2 on clay this year and her most realistic shot at No. 24 will likely be at Wimbledon, where she has won seven of her 23 majors. She reached the final the last two years, only to lose to Angelique Kerber (2018) and Simona Halep (2019) in straight sets.
“Especially for someone where the sand is coming out of the hourglass for Serena and Roger, Wimbledon offers probably their best chance to further add to their legacy,” Courier said. “They'll be jacked up. They've got to be.”
Serena Williams To Play In First Official Night Match At French Open - Forbes
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