French Open favourite Simona Halep said Friday she was grateful to just have the chance to play at Roland Garros this year after the tennis calendar was turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic.
Delayed four months from its traditional spring billing, players must contend with vastly different conditions and far cooler temperatures than they are used to in the French capital.
“To play Roland Garros in September, end of September, it’s a little bit weird,” said Halep, the 2018 champion.
“But it’s nice that we have the chance to play at this tournament. We should actually thank everyone for fighting so hard to make it possible.”
The Romanian was among six top-10 players to skip the recent US Open over Covid-19 fears, but the extended lay-off has not impacted her form.
Halep comes into the competition owning a 20-2 record this season. She has won her last three…