The French Open has been postponed by a week as France enters its 3rd COVID-19 lockdown

• The French Open tennis tournament has been postponed by a week.
• The head of the French Tennis Federation said this could help people attend the event.
• It's now scheduled from May 30, after France's third national lockdown is expected to end.
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The French Open tennis tournament has been postponed by a week, with organizers hoping the new date will allow more people to attend under eased coronavirus rules.

The tournament is now slated to run from May 30 to June 13, after France's third national lockdown is expected to end. The country went into a new lockdown on April 3, with President Emmanuel Macron hoping that restrictions will lift in mid-May.

Gilles Moretton, the president of the French Tennis Federation, said he was "delighted" that the event will be postponed, the BBC reported.

He said it would "give the health situation more time to improve" and that it "should optimize our chances of welcoming spectators."

He said: "For the fans, the players and the atmosphere, the presence of spectators is vital for our tournament, the spring's most important international sporting event."