Arnaud Clement: 'Roland Garros decision was unacceptable, it damages France'

• Tennis News
• ATP Tennis

On Tuesday, Roland Garros organizers made the decision to move the only clay Major in the calendar to September 20, just a week after the end of the US Open! The coronavirus pandemic has halted all the tennis action since the beginning of March and with the current situation, it is unlikely we are going to see any tournament soon, even after the second week of June when the ATP and WTA plan to continue with the schedule.

With no chance of staging Roland Garros at the end of May, the organizers took a bold move and moved the event for the end of September, making Roland Garros the last Major of the season for the first time in history, consulting no one and announcing the news on Twitter, which wasn't the ideal way to pass such an important decision.

Starting from Vasek Pospisil, many players were unhappy with the decision, having to play two Majors on different surfaces and continents within five weeks, all that after having no idea how the next couple of months would develop.

A former French Davis Cup captain Arnaud Clement is closely associated with the French Tennis Federation and Roland Garros organizers but also couldn't resist criticizing the decision, calling it unacceptable and the one that does a lot of damage to the image of France in general, especially in these tough times.

"The way Roland Garros organizers have made the decision is unacceptable. You always have to consult the ATP and the players and explain the reasons for your choice. In times when we are asked for solidarity and unity to overcome this crisis, the tournament does things of its own without thinking about the others. This enormously damages the image of France, it is impossible to be so selfish at this moment."