The French Open has been postponed by a week with the main tournament now due to start on May 30, the French Tennis Federation has announced.

France president Emmanuel Macron announced on March 31 that a schedule for the return of sporting events would start from mid-May onwards, which led to the decision by the French Tennis Federation.

Following a statement from Roland Garros on Thursday morning, it was confirmed the qualifying rounds would be held from May 24-28, with the main draw due to start on May 30 and finish on June 13.

The Lawn Tennis Association said: “The decision to move Roland-Garros will obviously create a knock-on effect for the summer grass-court season.

“We are currently looking at the implications for our events and if we will need to make changes to our calendar. We will communicate any updates to all parties as soon as possible.”

The WTA and ATP, who respectively organise the heavily packed women’s and men’s tours, have said they will work alongside the French Tennis Federation and suggested that the move was made to increase the chances of fans being able to attend the tournament.

“Tennis has required an agile approach to the calendar over the past 12 months in order to manage the challenges of the pandemic, and this continues to be the case,” the WTA and ATP said in a statement.

“Both the WTA and ATP are working in consultation with all parties impacted by the postponement to optimise the calendar for players, tournaments, and fans, in the lead-up to and following Roland-Garros. Further updates will be communicated in due course.”