New York (AFP)
The US Open tennis, lifted from the Grand Slam, will take place on the dates scheduled from August 31 to September 13 at Flushing Meadows, but behind closed doors, announced Tuesday Governor Andrew Cuomo the governor of New York.
"The American Tennis Federation (USTA) will take extraordinary precautions to protect players and staff, including solid testing, additional cleaning, additional locker room, dedicated accommodation and transportation," a- he justified on Twitter.
The USTA therefore obtained, as it hoped, the green light from the authorities for the holding of its major event, after having seen its plan approved by the male ATP and female WTA circuits, as several media said on Monday.
This plan, which remains to be formalized, includes plans to remove the singles qualifications and reduce the table of doubles from 64 pairs to 24.
The Federation has also managed to move the Masters 1000 from Cincinnati (August 16-23) to Flushing Meadows, to chain it with the US Open. This constitutes an unprecedented "double header", almost a month long, in order to concentrate players in New York without having them travel.
Now remains to convince many major players such as Novak Djokovic to play this Grand Slam tournament, long threatened by the coronavirus.
The participants should, for those coming from abroad, observe about fourteen on their arrival and all would be confined in hotels near John Fitzgerald Kennedy Airport.
In addition, in the heart of the city, which was the most affected by the pandemic in the United States, they could only be accompanied by a member of their entourage.
"Extreme conditions", deplored last week the world number 1 Serb, deeming "impossible" to get there with his full staff, trainer, trainer, physiotherapist.
Not to mention that just behind, will be linked Roland Garros (September 20-October 4). With what this will imply parameters to manage, fatigue, transatlantic flight, change of surface.
© 2020 AFP