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tennis news
3 November 2009
Warning issued to Roland Garros
The French tennis federation have threatened to move the French Open away from Roland Garros if their extension project is not approved.
Plans to expand the facilities at the prestigious Paris complex were agreed earlier this year and an architect was appointed soon after.
However, it has now been reported that the Paris City Council is stalling over the developments, with FFT director general Gilbert Ysern threatening to cut ties with the historic venue.
"It seems that the mayor's entourage has become more hostile to our project - which was not the case when we launched it," Ysern told reporters.
"Add to that the residents' opposition and we are now forced to look for other options, including that of leaving the premises."
Tennis officials claimed in May 2008 that a new centre court equipped with a retractable roof would be used at Roland Garros for the French Open by 2013 or 2014.
The Paris City Council and the French government were set to invest 20million euros each in the project which is estimated to cost 120m euros.
