Does Roland-Garros have a roof?
Facts checked November 2, 2026 by the French Open Insider editorial team
Short answer
Yes, on two courts. Court Philippe-Chatrier has had a retractable roof since 2020 and Court Suzanne-Lenglen since 2024. Court Simonne-Mathieu and the outside courts are open to the sky, so rain stops play there. The tournament referee decides when a roof closes, and the Chatrier roof takes about 15 minutes to close.
Which courts at Roland-Garros have a roof?
The first tournament played with the Chatrier roof was the 2020 edition, held in September and October because of COVID-19. Lenglen's roof was ready for Opening Week in 2024, when the court hosted qualifying under it, and was inaugurated on the first day of that year's main draw. Roland-Garros has not announced a roof for Simonne-Mathieu or any other court.
| Court | Seats | Roof |
|---|---|---|
| Philippe-Chatrier | 15,000 | Retractable, since the 2020 tournament |
| Suzanne-Lenglen | More than 10,000 | Retractable, inaugurated May 26, 2024 |
| Simonne-Mathieu | 5,000 | None |
| Court 14 and the other outside courts | 2,200 on Court 14 | None |
Who decides when the roof closes?
The tournament referee, "at his sole discretion", when rain keeps stopping play. A match that starts with the roof closed stays under it to the end.
The referee can also close it ahead of rain. In 2025 the Chatrier roof was shut because of the forecast while no rain was falling, and tournament director Amélie Mauresmo said: "Once the roof is closed... it stays closed. That's the rule."
Players do not always like the calls. After losing her 2026 quarter-final to Diana Shnaider, top seed Aryna Sabalenka said: "I don't know why would they keep the roof open when it was crazy windy."
Are night sessions played under the roof?
Night sessions on Chatrier began in 2021, the year after the roof arrived. In 2026 there was one singles match a night, not before 20:15 Paris time (2:15 p.m. Eastern), from Sunday May 24 to Wednesday June 3.
No source we found says the night match is always played with the roof closed: the referee decides each time. More in the night sessions guide.
What happens on the other courts when it rains?
Play stops on Court Simonne-Mathieu and the outside courts, and a wet day can cancel their program while Chatrier and Lenglen carry on under their roofs. Rain is common at this time of year: Météo-France normals for Paris (1991 to 2020) count 9.2 days with at least 1 mm of rain in May and 8.3 in June.
Refunds depend on that year's ticket terms. In 2024, tickets for Simonne-Mathieu and outside courts 2 to 16 carried a weather guarantee: if bad weather held the day's play under two hours, the ticket price was refunded, and the rule was applied on May 29, 2024. Chatrier and Lenglen tickets were not covered. We have not seen the 2026 or 2027 terms. The rain policy guide and the ticket refund policy have the details.
Does heat stop play too?
It can, under a separate heat rule. In 2026, when the first days reached 33°C (91°F), the rule allowed cooling breaks once the WBGT heat-stress index hit 30.1°C and a suspension at 32.2°C. After the tournament Mauresmo said conditions never really came close to the first threshold.
People also ask
When was the roof added to Court Philippe-Chatrier?
For the 2020 tournament, played in September and October that year because of COVID-19. It was the first edition with a roof on Chatrier, and night sessions followed in 2021.
Does Court Simonne-Mathieu have a roof?
No. The 5,000-seat court, opened in 2019, has no roof, and Roland-Garros has not announced plans to cover it. When rain stops play there, only Chatrier and Lenglen keep going.
Does tennis get cancelled due to rain?
On uncovered courts it can be. On June 5, 2019, rain cancelled the whole day at Roland-Garros and that day's tickets were fully refunded. Since Chatrier and Lenglen got roofs, those two courts can keep playing in the rain.