Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 30, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Roland Garros prepares for a unique evening as the Champions League final coincides with the French Open, with heightened security in Paris.
By Julien Pretot
PARIS (Reuters) -Roland Garros is bracing for a surreal Saturday evening when the biggest noise around the French Open might come not from the courts, but from the nearby Parc des Princes, where tens of thousands of Paris St Germain fans will gather to watch their team contest the Champions League final against Inter Milan.
Some 40,000 PSG supporters are expected to watch a screening at their home stadium, 750 metres from the French Open grounds, where around 15,000 tennis fans will fill Court Philippe-Chatrier for the night session starting at 2000 local time.
With the Champions League final kicking off at 2100, authorities are bracing for both sets of spectators to spill out onto the streets of western Paris around the same time — a potential flashpoint in a city still on edge after PSG’s semi-final victory over Arsenal earlier this month sparked looting and clashes with police.
French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said organisers were in close coordination with police to ensure the evening runs smoothly.
"Metro line 9 was supposed to be closed, but it will stay open all weekend, which means people can arrive and leave in good conditions," Mauresmo told reporters on Friday.
"Everything around the stadium grounds is being managed by the police teams. They've secured the perimeter and are handling what needs to be done. On our side, we're managing operations inside and immediately around the stadium, while the police prefecture is in charge of everything beyond that perimeter."
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez confirmed 5,400 officers would be deployed across the capital on Saturday, with the Champs-Elysees and streets around the Arc de Triomphe closed from midday as a precaution, in light of a recent incident in Liverpool where a car ploughed into a crowd of football fans.
As for whether the football frenzy might distract from the tennis, Mauresmo was relaxed.
"I'm not sure you can stop someone from checking the score on their phone," she smiled. "We're obviously vigilant and have security measures in place. But it's like the Olympics — people follow other events.
"If there's a couple of disturbances, we'll live with it. And on paper, it's not like there's going to be 10 or 20 goals."
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
Roland Garros is preparing for a busy Saturday evening as the French Open coincides with the Champions League final, creating a unique atmosphere in Paris.
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez confirmed that 5,400 officers would be deployed across the capital on Saturday to manage the crowds.
Organisers are in close coordination with police, and Metro line 9 will remain open all weekend to facilitate movement for both tennis and football fans.
Amelie Mauresmo expressed that while some fans may check scores on their phones, they are prepared for any disturbances that may arise.
Around 15,000 tennis fans are expected at Court Philippe-Chatrier, while approximately 40,000 PSG supporters will gather at Parc des Princes for the Champions League screening.
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