No play at French Open after first washout in 16 years

The French Open suffered its first complete washout since 2000 yesterday when all scheduled matches were cancelled due to heavy rain. “Due to weather, there will be no matches played at #RG16 today,” said the Roland Garros Twitter feed.
The last washout 16 years ago also fell on May 30. There could be more problems today with further rain forecast throughout the day before conditions brighten tomorrow. The washout left the French tennis federation having to refund around 30,000 ticket holders.
It also prompted tournament director Guy Forget, a former player and Davis Cup winner, to warn that France is getting left further behind the sport's three other majors -- Wimbledon, the Australian and US Opens. All three tournaments have stadiums with roofs. But Roland Garros will not see a roof built over its showpiece Philippe Chatrier Court until 2020 at the earliest.  Eight last-16 matches planned for yesterday plus two more which had been held over from Sunday will now be played today. Two quarter-finals are also due to take place today – Andy Murray against Richard Gasquet and defending champion Stan Wawrinka facing Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Play had been set to get underway at 1100 (0900GMT) yesterday but was eventually called off just before 1400 (1200GMT). “All cancelled for today -- rain, rain go away,” tweeted Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych who was due to face former runner-up David Ferrer of Spain for a last-eight spot. This year’s Roland Garros was hit by rain delays on the opening Sunday when just 10 of the scheduled 32 ties were completed in a little over four hours of play. The second day was then hit by another two and a half hour delay. That in turn pushed 12 of the scheduled 66 matches back to the first Tuesday.
There was a two and a half hour stoppage on Saturday followed by another hour on Sunday which meant that the planned last-16 programme remained unfinished. Under the original schedule, all of the fourth round was to be completed yesterday, leaving today and tomorrow for the quarter-finals.
But if there are further delays today, world number one Novak Djokovic, who is chasing a first French Open to complete the career Grand Slam, could end up playing his last-16 tie tomorrow, quarter-final on Thursday and semi-final Friday.
Djokovic has suffered at the hands of the weather in Paris in the past. In the 2012 final against Rafael Nadal, he had fought back from two sets to love down to take the third set and lead in the fourth when play was halted.
The final was suspended until Monday when Nadal raced to victory in just a further 50 minutes. Roland Garros organisers are planning a roof for the showpiece Philippe Chatrier Court but that will not be ready until 2020.
Djokovic will be poised to become the first man to win $100 million in prize money if he makes the quarter-finals for the 10th time. Top seed Djokovic tackles Spain’s 14th seed Roberto Bautista Agut, boasting a 4-0 career lead over the 28-year-old Spaniard.
In other men’s last-16 ties still to be played, Belgian 12th seed David Goffin faces unpredictable Latvian Ernests Gulbis, a semi-finalist in 2014. Austrian 13th seed Dominic Thiem faces Spain’s Marcel Granollers with both men trying to make the last eight of a Slam for the first time.
Granollers reached the last-16 without hitting a ball when nine-time champion Nadal pulled out of the tournament with a wrist injury. 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. The 34-year-old takes on Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina who is being advised in Paris by Justine Henin, one of Williams’ former great rivals on the tour and a four-time French Open champion. Spanish 12th seed Carla Suarez Navarro faces unseeded Yulia Putintseva .
In-form Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens, who knocked out Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber in the first round, faces America’s Madison Keys, the 15th seed. Venus Williams, who was runner-up to sister Serena in 2002, takes on Swiss eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky, a semi-finalist last year.
The two fourth round ties that were suspended saw second seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 3-0 up on Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova. Sixth seed Simona Halep of Romania was leading Australian veteran Samantha Stosur 5-3.

Order of play on show courts
(x denotes seeded player):
Court Philippe Chatrier (0900GMT/1100 local)
Men’s singles fourth round: Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) v Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x14)
Women’s singles fourth round: Serena Williams (USA x1) v Elina Svitolina (UKR x18)
Not Before 1200GMT/1400 local
Men’s singles quarter-finals: Richard Gasquet (FRA x9) v Andy Murray (GBR x2)
Court Suzanne Lenglen (0900GMT/1100 local)
Women’s singles fourth round: To finish: Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x2) leads Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 6-2, 3-0
Men’s singles fourth round: David Ferrer (ESP x11) v Tomas Berdych (CZE x7)
Women’s singles fourth round: Venus Williams (USA x9) v Timea Bacsinszky (SUI x8)
Not Before 1200GMT/1400 local
Men’s singles quarter-finals
Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) v Stan Wawrinka
(SUI x3)
Court 1 (0900GMT/1100 local)
Women’s singles fourth round: To finish: Simona Halep (ROM x6) leads Samantha Stosur (AUS x21) 5-3
Men’s singles fourth round: David Goffin (BEL x12) v Ernests Gulbis (LAT)
Women’s singles fourth round: Kiki Bertens (NED) v Madison Keys (USA x15)
Court 2 (0900GMT/1100 local)
Men’s singles fourth round: Marcel Granollers (ESP) v Dominic Thiem (AUT x13)
Women’s singles fourth round: Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP x12) v Yulia Putintseva (KAZ)