Wednesday’s cover: Heavy weather disrupts play again at French Open


Steve Luckings
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World No 1 Novak Djokovic makes the cover of The National Sport on Wednesday, June 1, 2016 as he inspects the Centre Court at Roland Garros on another rain-affected day at the French Open using an umbrella borrowed from a spectator.

Top 10 stars Agnieszka Radwanska and Simona Halep blasted French Open organisers Tuesday for forcing them to compete in pouring rain as Djokovic was left facing a four-day epic playing stretch.

Radwanska, the second seed, and sixth seed Halep both lost their last-16 clashes after opening healthy leads on Sunday night.

But after Monday was washed out, they were forced back out Tuesday despite the rain never really relenting and slumped to bad-tempered defeats.

“I’m just so surprised and angry that we have to play in the rain. I mean, it’s not a $10,000 tournament. It’s a grand slam,” raged Polish star Radwanska after her 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 defeat to Bulgaria’s world No 102 Tsvetana Pironkova.

Radwanska had been 6-2, 3-0 up on Sunday night.

“How can you allow players to play in the rain?,” said the former Wimbledon runner-up after her loss on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

“I don’t think they really care what we think. I think they care about other things.”

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