A Spanish tennis star returning from a battle with cancer was forced to play her final ever French Open match in an empty arena

• Carla Suarez Navarro came within two points of a fairytale win in her final ever French Open game.
• The Spaniard was given the all-clear from cancer less than six weeks ago.
• The game was played with no fans, however, prompting criticism of the tournament's organizers.

Spanish tennis player Carla Suarez Navarro came within two points of a fairytale win in what will be her final ever French Open game, less than six weeks after revealing she had recovered from cancer.

The 32-year-old took the first set and led 30-0 at 5-4 in the second in her first round match against American Sloane Stephens on Tuesday, but eventually lost 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 4-6.

Navarro, who was formerly ranked sixth in the world, revealed last September that she had early stage Hodgkin lymphoma.

She had her final chemotherapy session in January, before announcing in April that she had been given the all-clear.

-Carla Suárez Navarro (@CarlaSuarezNava) April 22, 2021

"I'm really proud of myself and really happy to have the chance to play here one last time," the two-time French Open quarter-finalist said after the defeat to Stephens.

"[I had some] tough months. But every time I had on my mind that I want to be here, I want to come back. Roland-Garros is one of my favourite tournaments, so I was really clear that my first tournament will be this one."

She added: "I'm really proud, too, of myself and really happy to have the chance to play here one last time."

-Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2021

Navarro's last ever match at Roland-Garros was played in front of no fans after tournament organizers decided to schedule her match against Stephens in the night session.

Fans currently have to leave Roland-Garros at 9 p.m. due to COVID-19 restrictions in France. After the match, Navarro was clapped off the court by her American opponent.

Former Australian tennis player Rennae Stubbs condemned the decision to schedule the match at night, saying the Spaniard did not get the farewell she deserved.

"Wtf [what the f---] is FFT [French Tennis Federation] thinking putting this match on last WITH NO FANS!!!" she wrote on Twitter.

"This match and Carla deserved to have people cheering this amazing story and player on! Once again no clue."

World number 49 Ellen Perez also hit out at the decision, tweeting: "How does Carla Suarez Navarro get put as a night match when there is a curfew...

"She deserves a full crowd there to give her a standing ovation. This makes me sad."

-Ellen Perez (@EllenPerez95) June 1, 2021

Before her diagnosis, Navarro had intended to retire at the end of the 2020 season, however she now plans to carry on playing and says it would be a "dream" to compete at this summer's Tokyo Olympics.