Spectators watching the Novak Djokovic match at the French Open on Saturday evening might hear unexpected cheers from the crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier. This is because many in Paris will also be following the Champions League final simultaneously being played in Munich between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan. Paris will certainly have a split sporting focus.
Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo is well aware of the situation, acknowledging the divided attention of the city.
Mauresmo commented that they cannot prevent people from checking their phones for updates on the football match. She anticipates that any outbursts from goals will be infrequent and manageable, stating the Champions League final won`t significantly alter the tournament`s operations. “If once or twice we`ll have a bit of an uproar, it`s going to be fine,” she said.
The simultaneous events pose a significant logistical challenge for local authorities. Near Roland Garros, at the Parc des Princes, 40,000 fans are expected to gather to watch the PSG-Inter match on large screens. This, combined with the French Open crowd, has led to a massive deployment of police (estimated 5,400) and the opening of an extra metro line to manage the movement of people in the area. Mauresmo confirmed that police teams and enhanced safety measures will be in place surrounding the Roland Garros grounds.
Several PSG players visited the French Open earlier in the week. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was seen supporting Jannik Sinner during his match. Sinner mentioned they have been good friends for some time.
Other PSG players, including Gonzalo Ramos and João Neves, also visited. Ousmane Dembélé attended Ugo Humbert`s first-round victory. Humbert described Dembélé as his favorite football player, admiring his personality and game, and was thrilled to have him watch the entire match, meet him afterwards, and receive a jersey.
French player Arthur Fils, 20, hoped his match wouldn`t be scheduled for the Saturday night session so he could watch PSG. While he considered going to Munich, he found the logistics too difficult. He spoke of his affection for Paris, his brief time playing football, and how he started seriously following the sport when Kylian Mbappe and Neymar joined PSG, also recalling watching Zlatan Ibrahimovic with his father.
Gael Monfils, who recently lost his match, had flexible plans depending on his wife Elina Svitolina`s third-round result. After taking his daughter to a lesson, he mentioned possibly going to Munich for the final, but acknowledged he would likely stay in Paris to support his wife if she won her match.
Italian player Lorenzo Musetti, a Juventus fan, stated he would support Inter Milan in the final, acknowledging his club`s current difficulties but choosing to back the Italian team.
Before the Saturday schedule was released, Novak Djokovic publicly expressed his desire to avoid the night session so he could watch and support PSG, even adding a direct note about the schedule.
Ultimately, Djokovic`s request was not granted, and he will be playing his match on Court Philippe-Chatrier during the Champions League final, likely trying to remain focused despite potential crowd reactions to the football score.
