It perhaps sums up the situation aptly when even Jannik Sinner, a national age-group slalom champion in Italy, labels conditions in Paris as “not easy”. It’s cold, wet and windy for this unprecedented French Open, postponed to autumn from its annual summer slot of May-June due to the pandemic. The sunshine has made way for gloom, not just with the weather but also among the players.
It’s an odd sight for the first two days at the 2020 Roland Garros; players sporting body warmers, leggings and even jackets – usually worn during warm-ups – while playing and limited spectators largely wrapped in their hooded winter wear. Rain is forecast on almost all days throughout the tournament with temperatures hovering around 15-18 degrees Celsius. While it’s a touch kinder inside the main Philippe-Chatrier court thanks to the new retractable roof, it’s harsh on the other…