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Paris Olympics a letdown—Is this a sign of declining standards in global sports events?

Ahead of the Paris Olympic Games, there was much excitement in the buildup to the event. The games, which were expected to open with much fanfare, saw heavy rains lash the city on the day of the opening ceremony. Although that didn’t deter the mood much, it was a sign of the things to come. Subsequently, the Games have been embroiled in a controversy over the poor facilities at the mega-event. So much so that even the girlfriend of American tennis star, Taylor Fritz, expressed her frustration at the organizers.

Morgan Riddle has traveled with her boyfriend, Taylor Fritz, to Paris. While she will be cheering for him, Riddle hasn’t had the best of experiences in Paris this time around. As a result, she took to her official Instagram handle and expressed disappointment over the facilities at the Games.

Riddle posted a story on Instagram in which she wrote, “I thought the city would be INSANE, but it’s the opposite. It feels quiet and empty compared to normal, tourism is way down. The airport was a ghost town when I got in. I got my hotel for a shockingly cheap price as they dropped everything last week when they realized no one was coming here.”

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via Reuters

Meanwhile, tennis at the Paris Olympics is being played at Roland Garros, the same site as that for the French Open. However, Riddle felt that the mood for the Olympics was completely different from that of the Grand Slam. She further highlighted this issue, saying, “Tennis specifically, the Rolland Garros site feels very different. The plethora of bars, restaurants and food stands are closed – just a few food stalls and coffee. Definitely not as glam as RG!”

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However, Riddle isn’t the only one who is dissatisfied with the arrangements in Paris. Even a few American team players made a shocking move to a hotel after leaving the Olympic village.

American tennis players affected by bathroom overcrowding

Earlier today, the likes of Danielle Collins and Emma Navarro made a move to a nearby hotel in Paris after leaving the Games village. Four of the American female tennis players barring Coco Gauff made this move after facing bathroom overcrowding and congestion. Among them also included the billionaire Emma Navarro, who probably might not have faced this issue anytime in her life.

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Paris Olympics a letdown—Is this a sign of declining standards in global sports events?

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Expressing the sorry state, Navarro said, “Yeah, I stayed in there for three nights I think, but I didn’t sleep basically at all. I slept cumulatively six hours, so I had to move out and go to the hotel. I cried a little in the lobby the day I moved out, I think just from lack of sleep,” during an exclusive interview with PEOPLE.

While the likes of Navarro and Collins made the move to a hotel in the city, Fritz’s girlfriend didn’t intend to stay in Paris for long. However, with Fritz performing well, Riddle has extended her stay in Paris to support her boyfriend.