Faster court and more networking approaches
Players found the court quicker this year. Piolin sees that as a good thing. “I haven’t seen the players come out as much as this week in a long time,” he said. “It’s better than a court that is too slow.” The speed should remain the same in 2027. “We always try to find the right balance. Every style of play should be able to flourish.”
Stefan Edberg believes the server will return. Not everyone shares that enthusiasm. After losing to Bus, Daniil Medvedev said it was “almost impossible” to hit a winner here. “This topic is very subjective,” admitted Piolin. “Depending on the style of play, different players, some are happier than others.”
Referees are very quick to call for silence
Center Court “feels a lot more alive this year,” Piolin says, “with fans who have made the place their own.” When asked about referees repeatedly calling for silence at the start of the tournament, he acknowledged the problem. “On our side, we noticed the same thing,” he said in French. “It’s good to have rules. But sometimes it depends on how the rule is interpreted and the sensitivity.”
“When you’re sitting on a chair with a microphone, when you’re leading in some way, you need a certain sensitivity to read the scene,” he added. The tournament is talking to the umpires to “make them aware of it”.
There is no greater draw
Paris will keep its 56-player draw for one week, unlike other Masters 1000 events that are spread over nearly two weeks. “For a tournament at the end of the year, it’s better to have a smaller format because the players are tired,” Piolin said, citing the 80 matches he said Alexander Zverev played before Paris. “We’ll keep things as they are.”
Van Assche, “the big adventure of this tournament”
Piolin praised the running of the French players, “in particular Luca Van Asschewho was the big adventure of this tournament,” before Shelton beat him in the semifinals. He also pointed out that Arthur son secured his ATP Finals qualification in Paris.
The winner’s ceremony, which is changing this year, should remain. “It will be an improvement on what we had before,” said Piolin, adding that bringing together past champions from several generations for the 40th edition was a success. “I’m sure there will be even more great matches and atmosphere in the upcoming editions.”
