Spectators wearing protective face masks sit on empty stands of the Philippe Chatrier court on Day 4 of The Roland Garros 2020 French Open tennis tournament in Paris on Sept 30, 2020. (Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)

PARIS  - This year’s French Open tennis tournament has been postponed by a week due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will begin on May 30, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) said on Thursday.

The French Open, which last year was postponed by four months and took place in front of limited crowds, was due to start this year on May 23.

The French Open, which last year was postponed by four months and took place in front of limited crowds, was due to start this year on May 23

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This year’s edition of the claycourt Grand Slam will finish on June 13, two weeks before the expected start of Wimbledon.

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The postponement is set to have an impact on the ATP and WTA calendars, especially on the grasscourt season with tournaments scheduled to start on June 7 in s’Hertogenbosch (WTA and ATP) Stuttgart (ATP) and Nottingham (WTA).