Serena Williams Concerned About Fans, Hotels At French Open Due To Her Health Issues

Serena Williams had just finished booking her 12th U.S. Open quarterfinal appearance on Monday when she faced a series of questions about another Grand Slam tournament: the French Open.

The French Open will allow a maximum of 11,500 spectators per day to adhere to strict health protocols and curb the spread of COVID-19 when the Grand Slam begins Sept. 27, the French Tennis Federation (FFT) said on Monday. There are no fans at the U.S. Open this year.

Meantime, tournament director Guy Forget said Monday players must stay in two designated hotels “without exception” to reduce the risks from COVID-19. France reported more than 7,000 cases in a 24-hour period on Sunday.

The 38-year-old Williams, who has lung issues, expressed concerns both about having to stay in a hotel and about having so many fans on site in Paris. At the U.S. Open, she rented a home on Long Island and avoided the media hotels because she battled blood clots and life-threatening pulmonary embolisms while giving birth to her daughter Olympia in September 2017.

“Yeah, I was hoping to stay at my apartment in Paris, but, you know, I’m just taking it a day at a time,” Williams said Monday. “I feel the French, they are doing the best that they can. You know, it’s hard. Every organization, every country is trying to do the best that they can in this pandemic, so I can’t point fingers and tell them what to do, because I’m not running the tournament.”

Before the U.S. Open, Williams explained her reasoning for renting a private home, where she also had to pay for private security.

“I didn’t want to be in the [official player] hotel because I have lung issues and felt it was a big risk for me personally,” she said. “In a house, I can control more, there’s no housekeeping [staff], none of that stuff. I needed to put my mind at rest so that I could perform in New York.”

Williams said there was also some inconsistency on the part of French officials in having fans at the event but forcing players to stay at busy hotels during the pandemic.

“Well, if there are fans, then we should be able to stay elsewhere, then,” Serena said. “Yeah, that’s interesting, because there is no private housing but there’s fans.

“But I kind of knew that. It’s just for me I’m super conservative because I do have some serious health issues, so I try to stay away from public places, because I have been in a really bad position in the hospital a few times.

“So I don’t want to end up in that position again, so I don’t know. I’ll just do my best to continue to keep — for me, I try to keep a 12-foot distance instead of 6.”

Pressed on the issue, Serena said she planned to speak with tournament officials in Paris at some point.

“Obviously maybe it will be good for me to talk to the organizers just to see how that works with the crowd and how we will be protected,” she said.

“They have to make the best decision for them, and I have to do what’s best for me. But I think it should be okay.”

She added: “I still have some questions, but I’m really kind of, ironically, focused on New York but it’s kind of hard because, you know, these Grand Slams are so close to each other this year.”

Meantime, Maria Sakkari, whom Williams beat in three sets Monday, said she wasn’t a fan of having fans at the French Open.

“I think it doesn’t make sense, to be honest,” she said. “To have fans, and have us in a bubble? For me it doesn’t really make sense. They have their reasons why they do it. They have people doing their research, and if they think it’s the right thing to do, because I read the other day they had 8,000 cases in France, so for me it was a shocking announcement to have fans, but they know better, so I’m not a doctor. I’m not a health expert.

“They know better their jobs, and if they think it’s safe. As long as we’re safe and out of the crowd, then it’s fine.”