City of Light's silent nights: Curfew cuts French Open crowd

[ASFN Admin]

Between points, one man’s lonely voice left the press box to pierce the air at Court Philippe Chatrier as Rafael Nadal played Richard Gasquet under the lights in the City of Light to close the French Open’s second round. Welcome to the (mostly) silent nights of Roland Garros, which this year has joined Flushing Meadows and Melbourne Park in scheduling night sessions. Unlike the rowdy, raucous crowds at those Grand Slam counterparts, there are no spectators for these late matches at the French Open because of coronavirus restrictions and a strict 9 p.m. local curfew.

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