Security moves to top of the agenda

PARIS - Security worries could create a tense atmosphere at the French Open after Monday's bomb attack at a concert hall in Manchester, England, claimed 22 lives, French player Lucas Pouille said on Tuesday.

The terror attack, claimed by Islamic State, has raised concerns about safety at big events worldwide.

Paris police chief Michel Delpuech said French authorities are looking at security at cultural and sports events, including the French Open, which starts next week at the Roland Garros complex in Paris.

Pouille said he believed security will be stepped up at the tournament.

He said he didn't usually think about whether he felt safe on court, "but when something like that happens, you think about it, you think Roland Garros will be a bit tense, that the atmosphere will ... not be like usual.

"Security will have to do its job and be well organized so that people are safe," he said.

Pouille, 23, was speaking at the launch of a marketing campaign for Evian mineral water. Pouille, American player Madison Keys and former world No 1 Maria Sharapova attended the event as ambassadors for the brand.

While Pouille, ranked 17th in the world, and Keys spoke of their hopes for the Paris Open, Sharapova was refused a wild card for the tournament.

Sharapova posed for photos at the launch on the rooftop of a Paris department store, but organizers declined requests to interview her.

The 30-year-old, who won the French Open in 2012 and 2014 but was hit with a 15-month doping ban last year, had been widely expected to be fast-tracked into the year's second Grand Slam.

After only returning to the circuit last month, Sharapova's ranking was not high enough to warrant an automatic place in the Roland Garros main draw or in the qualifying event.

Asked if she felt there needed to be tighter security at Roland Garros in the wake of the Manchester attack, Keys said: "I am sure that the organization and everyone in charge is going to do everything they can and I trust that they know what they are doing."

She said she "definitely" felt safe when taking part in major tournaments, adding: "I go through security just like everyone else, so I know they are doing what they can."

Keys, who missed the Australian Open in January after wrist surgery, said her wrist is feeling much better.

The 22-year-old, who is ranked 13th in the world, said her goal for Roland Garros was "to feel good on the court and feel confident in matchplay again".

Her long-term goals were to be "in the top five and win a grand slam".

Reuters