3:47 AM ET Associated Press PARIS — Already repeatedly trimmed, crowd sizes for the French Open have been reduced again — to just 1,000 spectators per day — because of the worsening coronavirus epidemic in Paris. The new limit, reduced from 5,000 per day, was first announced by Prime Minister Jean Castex on Thursday night.

8:28 AM ET The 2020 French Open, which begins Sunday in Paris, is working like most every other sporting event under strict health protocols because of the coronavirus pandemic. The organizers of the event, which was postponed from its late spring time slot because of the health crisis, are hoping to make a bold statement.

3:11 PM ET No. 2 seed Elina Svitolina and No.5 seed Elena Rybakina have progressed to the final of the Internationaux de Strasbourg after beating Aryna Sabalenka and Nao Hibino respectively on the penultimate day of the tournament. Svitolina beat Sabalenka 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 while Rybakina had an easier 6-3, 6-4 victory over the unseeded

6:49 AM ET Associated Press Former tennis star Boris Becker appeared in a London court on Thursday, pleading not guilty to a string of criminal charges related to his bankruptcy case. Becker, who was declared bankrupt in June 2017, is accused of not complying with orders to disclose financial information and hiding properties in the

1:51 PM ET Associated Press PARIS — Rafael Nadal will begin his bid for a record-extending 13th French Open title against Egor Gerasimov in the first round, while Serena Williams starts her attempt for a record-equaling 24th major against Kristie Ahn in all-American matchup. Nadal, 34, who is seeded second and has never faced the

2:06 PM ET Associated Press Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the quarterfinals of the Hamburg European Open by beating Pablo Cuevas 7-5, 6-4 on Thursday as he continues his warm-up for the French Open. In a rematch of his only clay-court final win, Tsitsipas saved four break points at 4-4 in the first set and another at

5:33 PM ET Associated Press French tennis player Benoit Paire was allowed to compete at the Hamburg Open despite twice testing positive for the coronavirus, he said Wednesday. Paire retired from his opening-round match while trailing Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-0 on Wednesday with what the ATP Tour said was “dizziness.” Paire withdrew from the U.S.

7:38 AM ET It’s a sight as emblematic of the French Open as white socks deeply stained by red clay dust: The chair umpire climbs down from the lofty perch and jogs over to inspect a skid mark in the clay near a white line. He or she inspects the mark, sometimes bending to peer

5:45 AM ET Associated Press Daniil Medvedev lost his first match since reaching the US Open semifinals as he was beaten 6-4, 6-3 on Tuesday by unseeded French player Ugo Humbert in the first round of the Hamburg European Open. The top-seeded Medvedev was a break up at 4-3 in the first set but was

1:00 PM ET Associated Press HAMBURG, Germany — Daniil Medvedev lost his first match since reaching the U.S. Open semifinals as he was beaten 6-4, 6-3 Tuesday by unseeded French player Ugo Humbert in the first round of the Hamburg European Open. 2 Related The top-seeded Medvedev was a break up at 4-3 in the