The 2021 French Open has been postponed by a week, meaning it will now conclude just two weeks before the start of Wimbledon.

With France currently in a third national lockdown, it's expected that measures will be eased in mid-May.

The tournament had been scheduled to run from May 23rd until June 6th, but the one-week delay means it will now take place from May 30th until the 13th of June.

FFT president Gilles Moretton says it will give them the best possible chance of welcoming spectators into the latter stages of the tournament, while also giving key stakeholders greater clarity.

"I am delighted that the discussions with the public authorities, the governing bodies of international tennis, our partners and broadcasters, and the ongoing work with the WTA and ATP, have made it possible for us to postpone the 2021 Roland Garros tournament by a week," he said.

"It will give the health situation more time to improve and should optimise our chances of welcoming spectators at Roland Garros, into our newly-transformed stadium that now covers more than 30 acres.

"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."

The delay means that the second Grand Slam of the year will now run into the grass-court season, with Wimbledon set to get underway just two weeks later on June 28th.

Rafael Nadal is the defending French Open men's champion, after winning his 13th Roland Garros title in the delayed 2020 championships.

Polish teenager Iga Swiatek will be defending the women's title, looking to improve on her fourth-round finish at the Australian Open earlier this year.