Where possible, Monday’s matches are being rescheduled for Tuesday, although the forecast for then is not an bad lot better at present, with more rain expected, even if it is unlikely to be another full wash-out.
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Belgian David Goffin and Latvian Ernests Gulbis had been expected to open proceedings on Court Philippe Chatrier but could be in for a long day in the locker room with rain forecast for much of the day.
It also prompted tournament director Guy Forget, a former player and Davis Cup victor, to warn that France is getting left further behind the sport’s three other majors – Wimbledon, the Australian and US Opens.
The Australian Open has three covered courts while Centre Court at Wimbledon acquired a roof in 2009 and Court One will be covered from 2019. If nobody talks about me, I think in French we say, to live happily you have to live in the dark.
Last week, French Open tournament director Guy Forget said the earliest a roof can be installed at the venue is 2020, not in 2018 as originally planned. People have to realise that nobody can stop the process. “She played really, really well and forced me to bring out my best tennis”, Serena said.
Britain’s Andy Murray knows he’ll be fighting both Richard Gasquet and the crowd when the second seed targets a fourth appearance in the French Open semi-finals on Tuesday.
Play had been set to get underway at 1100 am but was eventually called off just before 2 pm.
The last total wash-out in Paris was May 30, 2000, according to organizers.
This year’s Roland Garros was hit by rain delays on the opening Sunday when just 10 of the scheduled 32 opening round ties were completed in a little over 4 hours of play.
When the contest resumed two and a half hours later Williams made a hash of the first few points and trailed 2-5.
The schedule was rearranged, with the match set to be moved to Suzanne Lenglen, only for it to move back to Chatrier after Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s premature retirement.
Holder Serena Williams survived her toughest challenge yet at this year’s French Open as she battled into the fourth round with a 6-4 7-6 (10) win over Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic in a rain-disrupted match on Saturday.
But in saying that, Djokovic is one of only two men (the other being Robin Soderling) to ever defeat the Spaniard on the Parisian red clay, and the only man to do so in straight sets, in the quarter-finals previous year.
Rain forced the postponement of the 2012 men’s final between Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, which was held over two days and finished on the Monday.
The final was suspended until the next day, when Nadal raced to victory in just a further 50 minutes.
Thiem, 22, got past Alexander Zverev 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 to close in on his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Djokovic even dropped serve in the third set but wrapped up the match on his first match point to set up a meeting with Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, the 14th seed.
In the women’s last 16, top seed and defending champion Serena Williams will continue her bid for a record-equalling Open era 22nd Grand Slam title.
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Williams might have one or two flashbacks when she plays her fourth-round match tomorrow against Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who beat former champion Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-4 yesterday.
