© EPA/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

PARIS, may 28. /Offset. TASS Mikhail Timofeyev, Arina Lebedev/. The open championship of France on tennis Roland Garros, which starts Sunday in Paris will be held under heightened security. In the second season tournament series Grand slam starts after just six days after the attack in Manchester and the announcement of the French President about the intention for the sixth time in the country to extend the state of emergency, valid for about two years.

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Access to the Roland Garros opened at 9:30 (10:30 GMT) – an hour and a half before the matches. It can be accessed only through three entrances, located at 300-400 meters from the tennis complex. Using metal detectors guard conducts rigorous inspections of all incoming to the territory. In addition, employees of security firms examine all the documents, giving access to the tournament.

On the way to the sports complex with strong concrete barriers to prevent impact of cars on people. The stadium itself is surrounded by a double ring of fences. Working dog handlers with dogs trained on search of explosives.

“Security is one of our priorities – said the tournament Director, the famous tennis player and coach, guy forget. – We increase the level of measures every year and currently it is at a peak”. “We have created vysokoskorostnoi the system, following, in particular, the directives, which we give in this connection the Paris Prefecture of police,” he said. “Each day of security in their posts will be around the experts – the instructors, to verify again that it is not allowed the slightest deviation from established rules,” – said the tournament Director.

As noted by the Vice-President of Federation of tennis of France and its official representative Stephen Fost, “the terrorist attack that was perpetrated in Manchester, has not led to needed changes in the structure of the security system, as it already is at a very high level.” “Of course, zero risk is impossible to achieve, but this does not mean that we are in fear,” he said. At the same time, Fost acknowledged that the Federation “has not previously faced with cases of terrorist attacks on its competition,” but she was well prepared for possible incidents, “the entire staff has been trained very carefully.”

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According to Jacques Le Mene, responsible for the safety of Roland Garros, “the decision to use the personnel of private security agencies, numbering 1,200 persons”. “This is somewhat more than in 2016,” – said the expert, but didn’t say, the figure of the contingent last year.

Roland Garros will be visited by about half a million people

It is expected that this year the Open championship of France will attract not less than 450 thousand tennis fans. In peak days the number of spectators in the stands of the tennis complex will reach 35 thousand in Total, the tournament will feature 256 athletes from Australia, Argentina, Germany, Spain, China, USA, France, Japan and other countries. In Roland Garros about 3 thousand accredited journalists.

The open championship of France held in Paris since 1891, and in 1925 became the largest competition in the world, where he allowed all tennis fans, in 1968, having and “open” status. In 1928, the tournament was first held at the tennis stadium, named for the French Aviator – hero of the First world war, Roland Garros. Modern tennis Roland Garros complex comprises 20 clay courts, located on the territory of 8.5 hectares. center court is named in honor of Philip Satria – the former head of the tennis Federation of France, the International tennis Federation and IOC member, made a great contribution in tennis development.