French Open bans alcohol in stadiums after crowd issues

Umpires will also be told to clamp down on fans shouting out between points

Aurelien Morissard / Panoramic

May 30, 2024

Spectators will be banned from drinking alcohol at courtside for the rest of this year’s French Open after players were critical of the behaviour of fans at this year’s event.

David Goffin claimed he was spat at during his first-round match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, saying tennis was becoming more like football. And women’s world No 1 Iga Swiatek, after beating Naomi Osaka on Wednesday, pleaded with the crowd in her post-match interview on court not to shout during points.

On Thursday, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo met journalists in a hastily-arranged press gathering, at which she said fans will no longer be able to drink alcohol in the stands and that security will throw them out if they are caught breaking the new rules.

Mauresmo : “You can show your enthusiasm but…”

“We’re happy to see that there’s an atmosphere and emotions, which are stronger at Roland Garros than before the covid,” Mauremo said. “But there are a few people who cross the line. Yet I want to be uncompromising about respect for the players and the game. I’ve given instructions to the umpires that they should be hyper-reactive so that they can control the court, if, for example, there are (shouts) between the first and second serves.

‘If there is the slightest out-of-bounds behaviour in the stands, I have instructed the security staff to evacuate the people very clearly, even if they are not always easy to identify.” And speaking in English, Mauresmo clarified that offenders would be thrown out. “If they go too far, they go out,” she said.

“You can show your enthusiasm’,” the former world No 1 reiterated, but not by shouting during the point. ‘There will inevitably be situations where it’s up to the umpire, neither black nor white. We’re going to keep the expressions during the point to a minimum. The referees will have stricter and earlier instructions about holding the public.”