You managed to get French Open tickets? Here are a few tips to help you have the best of day at Roland Garros. Some advices might sound obvious, but forewarned is forearmed!
Be prepared
– verify you assigned correctly the name of the ticket holder on each ticket
– don’t forget your ID or passport with the name matching the name on your ticket
– check out the list of prohibited items: no cans, no glass bottles, no bottle over 1,5l, no stroller…
– check out weather predictions and prepare your bag accordingly
– bring some food and some water bottles you can refill at the drinking fountains
– print the order of play and write down the matches you’d like to watch
– have a look at the map of the grounds, and spot where the information stands, restrooms and drinking fountains are located
– follow @MyRG on twitter to know what’s going on inside the stadium
In the queue
– arrive early, you might have to queue a bit to enter the stadium (I had to queue 40 minutes the last days of the qualies)
– you can’t access directly your gate, you have to go through a security checkpoint before arriving at your gate and go through bag check, metal detector and body check
– be nice and polite with security guards, they’re only doing their job
– don’t jump the queue: 1. you’ll look like an asshole 2. people will make you understand (more or less nicely) where the queue starts 3. security guards will make you understand where the queue starts
In the stadium
– pick up Roland Garros daily program: it’s free, usually located near your entry gate and features the order of play, a map of the grounds, the schedule of animations…
– if you have any question, go to the information stand (near the Lenglen and the Chatrier)
– don’t lose your countermark ticket, especially in you have a seat on one of the show courts, you need to show it to the hostess to enter the court
– if you have a bit of time, have a walk around the grounds, you’ll enjoy the atmosphere and you might also see players at practice
Watching matches
– don’t take someone else’s seat. If someone took your seat, gently say: excusez-moi c’est ma place, and show him/her your seat number on your ticket
– put your mobile phone on silent
– if you’re a newbie tennis fan, I urge you to read Grandslamgal’s tennis spectator etiquette
– applaud the ball boys, linesmen and umpire when they enter the court
– you might be surprised that the crowd tends to boo and whistle a lot, sometimes you won’t understand why, and they probably don’t know why either
– the crowd likes its mexican wave too, sometimes they do la ola because they have fun and enjoy the match and sometimes because they are so bored they want to have some action
– don’t forget your bags when you leave your seat
To end up this post, a few usuful French words:
– bonjour hello
– s’il vous plaît please
– merci thanks
– droite right
– gauche left
– les toilettes restrooms
– parlez vous anglais? do you speak English?
– où est ma place s’il vous plaît? where is my seat please?
Enjoy your day at Roland Garros, and please share your story and pictures.
Extract from Inside tennis – a season on the pro tour by Peter Bodo and June Harrison:
The French is the epicurean’s tournament, where the kiosks feature crepes filled with apricot jam and dusted with powdered sugar, and ice cream bars favored with Grand Marnier; where hot dogs doze in light, crisp rolls that resemble sleeping bags; where these and other specialities evolved through centuries of respectful doting on the sensitive receptacle that for some peoples is a mere stomach.
The French tournament site, like those of Wimbledon and the US Open, is located just far enough outside the city to achieve a slumberous, almost pastoral quality. The Stade Roland Garros borders the Bois de Boulogne, the rambling park that contains the famed Longchamp Race Course and the Racing Club de France. The stadium and its grounds, named after a World War I aviator killed in action, were constructed in 1927 primarly for the defense of the Davis Cup.
Despite the French preoccupation with style, there is a monotonous, almost martial quality to Roland Garros. Yet this grim undertone strikes a symbolic note, for the French is the most grueling tournament in the world. The Italian assaults the nerves, Wimbledon tests the spirit, and the US Open challenges the will. The French attacks the body and often defeats a player through sheer exhaustion. Matches routinely last four hours on the slow clay, and despite the draw of 128, five-set matches are the rule from the start. Tennis at the French is trench warfare; lobs are lifted like deadly mortars, except they almost always come back. Battles that commence while the idle are still taking croissants and café au lait on the the Boulevard Saint-Germain last long into the dusk. As late as nine in the evening, there is still enough light to keep the contestants engaged.
The main walkway at Roland Garros:
Arthur Ashe, serving and selling his way deep into the Paris underground:
Richard Gasquet stormed past Victor Estrella Burgos 6-1 6-0 6-4 to book a spot in the third round, and set up showdown with Gaël Monfils. Richard’s outfit is available on Le Coq Sportif’s website.
Follow our Roland Garros 2017 coverage.
20th seed Carreno Busta defeats Dimitrov 7-5 6-3 6-4 and reaches the last 16 at a Grand Slam for the first time. He’ll next face Milos Raonic was leading 6-1 1-0 when his opponent Guillermo Garcia-Lopez retired.
Check out a few pictures from Grigor’s practice on Saturday:
Read more:
– 2017 clay court season: who won what
– Carreno Busta wins Estoril Open
Fabio Fognini won the battle of Italians yesterday at Roland Garros, prevailing against his Davis Cup teammate Andreas Seppi to reach the third round. His next opponent: Stan Wawrinka. Well known for his unpredictable game and personality, Fabio wears an eye-catching outfit from his new sponsor Hydrogen:
Fabio’s outfit is available online.
