This year, for the third year running, I hopped on the Eurostar over the Bank Holiday weekend to visit Paris and catch some live grand slam tennis at Roland Garros.
I saw both British No. 1s and both world no. 1s, as well as Roger Federer. When Nadal emerged onto court for his first round match there was a noticeable murmur as we beheld his rather odd combination of grey shorts, bright pink t-shirt and hi-vis yellow sweat bands. Yuk.
Despite his outfit, all in the crowd were probably confident that we were seeing the eventual champion, but as events turned out we were wrong. Nadal apart, Federer has been the best player at Roland Garros for the last 4 or 5 years so it will be great if he can finally win one – I am, as you may have guessed, a bit of a Federer fan!
Roland Garros is great, but somehow doesn’t quite have the atmosphere that Wimbledon has. It feels more cramped, although perhaps a little bit more focused on the tennis as a result (there’s no sipping Pimms and strawberries and cream). Instead of watching the big screen from Henman Hill, the French tennis-going public’s option is a cramped square between Chatrier and No.1 Court – there is a big screen and there is a bit of history there too, with statues of the ‘4 musketeers’ – famous French tennis legends of yesteryear (I’m not sure who they actually are as the place was way too packed for me to actually get a good close-up of them). It definitely isn’t as welcoming as Wimbledon from that aspect. The courts are noisier and less respectful towards the players – to the extent that one umpire was left making sarcastic observations from the Chair whilst oblivious people took their seats slowly and the players waited to play.
Overall, Roland Garros is less comfortable. The food outlets are less varied and have huge queues….and there are only 3 sets of loos in the entire complex. Compare to Wimbledon which has a set at each staircase on each show court. But it is an easy walk from the nearest metro station and there is no need to pay extra to take a taxi or bus. There are no ‘freebies’ for those waiting in the queue, but they have a great and easy system of obtaining tickets and foreign visitors can have ‘e-billets’ sent by PDF. You have to present your passport or other ID with your ticket, which seems a good way of discouraging touts (although there are plenty of them). Also, the Roland Garros complex is near the old Parc de Princes, which I know as the former venue of rugby internationals (from the tv – I never went there).
Last year I discovered the actual Roland Garros when I visited the war museum near the Eiffel Tower (which, by the way, you can see if you have a seat facing the right way on Chatrier court). I had heard the name Roland Garros over many years, without actually having a clue where it had come from. It was only last year, when I saw his photo, that I learnt that Roland Garros had been a French pilot killed in the First World War (also a tennis player). Some day I should find the time to visit the tennis museum, but when I am at Roland Garros I am more interested in seeing the tennis.
