Nigeria Content Online

Tradition won the
day on Sunday when the French tennis federation decided to keep the
French Open at a renovated Roland Garros and rejected plans to move the
tournament to the Paris suburbs from 2016.

A federation
statement said delegates had opted for the “enlargement and
modernisation of the historic site at Porte d’Auteuil for the new
Roland Garros.”

Versailles, Gonesse
and a site in Marne-la-Vallee close to Disneyland Paris had bid to take
the only clay court grand slam out of the French capital and offer more
space.

However, in a
federation ballot on Sunday, Gonesse lost in the first round,
Versailles in the second with Paris then taking 70 percent of the vote
in the final round against Marne-la-Vallee.

Although, the
ageing and cramped Roland Garros in the west of Paris near the Bois de
Boulogne will now be redeveloped it is still likely to be the smallest
grand slam venue.

The Australian and U.S. Opens have much more modern facilities while Wimbledon has added a roof to its centre court.

Retired former
world number one Amelie Mauresmo, the face of French tennis for many
years, was among a number of players who were keen for the tournament
to change location.

“I think that in
Paris today we don’t have the possibility to have the necessary space
to develop Roland Garros,” she told Reuters.

“We are the smallest of the four grand slams and I think it is
important to have the chance to grow, and for the public to have more
room.” Media reports had expected Paris to win the vote in the end but
there was speculation a run-off with Versailles, the site of the royal
palace, might be needed.