French Open organizers scrap 25th anniversary ceremony for Mary Pierce as she can’t attend
Sixth-seeded Mary Pierce of France kisses the trophy after she defeated fifth-seeded Conchita Martinez of Spain 6-2, 7-5, during their final at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros stadium in Paris Saturday, June 10, 2000. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, file)
PARIS (AP) — A ceremony to honor Mary Pierce, the last Frenchwoman to win the title at Roland-Garros 25 years ago, has been scrapped because she can’t attend, French Open organizers said on Wednesday.
The ceremony was scheduled to take place on Thursday between the women’s semifinals at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament. But Pierce is unable to be there this week “due to personal reasons,” organizers said.
Pierce’s title at the 2000 French Open was the most recent in singles for a French player, male or female, at Roland-Garros. The 50-year-old Pierce also won the doubles title that year. Her other Grand Slam singles title came at the 1995 Australian Open, and she helped France win two Fed Cup titles.
The ceremony was supposed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her title at Roland-Garros, as well as her 2019 induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, French Open organizers said.
___
More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis