Tennis

Roland Garros 2023: Rain Continues to Plague French Open, Disrupting Schedule and PlayThe 2023 French Open has been marred by relentless rain, which has disrupted the schedule and forced organizers to rely heavily on retractable roofs. For the past seven days, precipitation has fallen in some form, leading to the unfortunate moniker of "Drench Open."The retractable roofs over Courts Philippe Chatrier and Suzanne Lenglen have been in constant use, providing a lifeline for the tournament. Without the Lenglen roof, which debuted this year, the situation would have been even more dire.Schedule makers have faced a daunting task, constantly adjusting the daily puzzle due to the unpredictable weather. Despite attempts to start play earlier and cram more matches onto more courts, the rain has persisted.On Saturday, play on outside courts began as scheduled, but was suspended around 1 p.m. local time. No play has occurred since then, with journalist Jose Morgado's timeline resembling a litany of delays.Around 5 p.m. local time, all doubles matches were canceled for the day. Only 10 games of second-round play in the women's doubles event have been completed, and six first-round matches remain unfinished.When play has been possible, it has often extended late into the night or even into the next day. Lighted courts, a recent addition to Roland Garros, have been heavily utilized, resulting in a hefty utility bill.In addition to the rain, cold temperatures in the 50s and 60s Fahrenheit have added to the discomfort. Hooded tops and parka coats have become common sights, while sunscreen has gone unused.Despite the challenging conditions, fans have remained resilient, sticking around and taking to their damp seats. As of 5:15 p.m., tarps were being removed from outside courts, and play resumed 25 minutes later.Rain is an unavoidable challenge for Grand Slams, but the extent of the disruption in Paris has been unprecedented. Organizers have been left with few options but to adapt and hope for better weather in the coming days.