With the French Open scheduled to start on Sunday, the proposed retractable roof that will be placed atop the main stadium remains a plan, meaning that rain predicted to fall throughout the first week of the tournament could affect the clay court.
Seventeen-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer sounded a bit alarmed about the chances of rain affecting the play in Roland Garros, saying via The Associated Press: "We'll see how it's going to be with the weather. I heard it's going to be quite difficult, especially the first week with the amount of matches there are to be played. It's clearly going to have an impact."
Damp clay makes it more difficult for players to finish points as compared to hard and grass courts. Federer added: "Sometimes the rain starts at a very bad moment either for you or for the opponent or for the spectators - at the worst moment of the match. So ... you just need to win those matches one way or another, however you do it. Even if it's not good tennis, it doesn't matter."
AccuWeather.com Long-Range forecaster Jason Nicholls, via MSN.com, said rains are expected to persist in Paris from May 25 to at least May 29, 2014. He added that there is a possibility of scattered rain showers for the first week of June as well.
Nicholls adds that defensive skills of the players will be put to test as they'll have difficulties finishing points due to the damp weather.
Eight-time champion Rafael Nadal said of the rains: "Hopefully the weather will be better."
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