The French Open in September will operate at up to only 60% of the usual spectator capacity, organisers announced on Thursday. The French federation president, Bernard Giudicelli, said that on the main courts a maximum of four people could sit together with an empty seat between groups. On the other courts, one seat out of two will be empty when the main tournament starts on 27 September. Giudicelli said it meant about 20,000 spectators are expected during the early stages of the two-week grand slam, and about 10,000 for the finals. Those numbers could change if the French government revises its social distancing rules. “We went for the responsible option,” said Giudicelli, who added that wearing a protective mask will be mandatory for people on the move inside the Roland Garros grounds while it will only be recommended for people sitting courtside. “Should the situation evolve in the right direction, new tickets would be available in September,” Giudicelli said. If stricter measures were imposed, a draw would decide which tickets would be cancelled. The FFT added that the Covid-19 protocols for players and staff were still being drafted. The French Open was postponed from its usual May-June dates to September because of the pandemic, while the US Open is being held without any spectators in attendance in New York from 31 August to 13 September.