Novak Djokovic’s Plea for Closed Roof during Rainy Match Deemed ‘Unjust’ – Who Are the Opponents?

Novak Djokovic’s request for the retractable roof to be closed during his first-round victory over Mackenzie McDonald has ignited a debate at Roland-Garros, primarily due to the erratic wind conditions.

Djokovic triumphed over McDonald with a score of 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, but paused the match briefly to express his concerns regarding the weather while competing on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

As the conditions worsened at 3-2 in the opening set, the 24-time Grand Slam champion approached the chair umpire and tournament supervisor, urging them to shut the roof.

He pointed out that pieces of clay were being disrupted by the gusting winds.

“This kind of discussion is pretty rare here, isn’t it?” remarked EuroSport commentator Nick Mullins.

“I can’t recall a similar situation happening here in quite some time.

“For now, the wind is stopping play.”

This prompted Australian tennis great Rennae Stubbs, a former world No.1 in doubles, to criticise Djokovic’s appeal, calling it “so unfair.”

“If matches are still happening on the outside courts, then play should continue on [Court Philippe-Chatrier].

“Having a roof doesn’t give you the right to preferential treatment. It’s not fair to the other players and to your opponent.”

“What Djokovic is suggesting is utterly unfair to every other competitor on the outer courts. It’s ridiculous for the referee not to insist that he must continue play since everyone else is still playing outside. Yes, the weather is challenging, but this is unfair to the others.”

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The retractable roof was introduced on the centre court in 2020 but was not closed when the match began.

Officials did not heed Djokovic’s request, allowing play to continue for a while longer.

Eventually, the roof was closed later in the match after McDonald also raised concerns about the wind.

In his post-match comments, Djokovic clarified that there was no ill intent in his interaction with the umpire.

“I was merely inquiring about how long we would have to play amid the rain. The court was indeed affected by it,” he remarked.

“The umpire informed me that they were opting to wait. I pressed, asking who ‘they’ were and where they were. I was told it was the supervisors who preferred to keep it open. I just requested to speak to them and highlight that seeing the situation firsthand is vastly different from observing it from an office or the stands.

“That was the extent of it. Even if they chose to close the roof, play would still proceed. I questioned why it mattered if we did it now or in 15 minutes. McDonald was also raising similar concerns.

Djokovic finished the match with an impressive tally of 32 winners, significantly outpacing McDonald’s 14, while only committing 20 unforced errors.

As Djokovic stepped onto the court, he was announced as the holder of 24 Grand Slam titles, with three French Open trophies and an Olympic gold, which he claimed in Paris.

“I distinctly recall last year’s Olympic Games, that was the last time I was on this court,” Djokovic reflected. “The feelings are incredibly strong.”

He added, “I may not have the medal with me, but I carry a photo of it in my bag. My father has my medal; he values trophies even more than I do, so I let him keep it.”

– with AP