Rome (AFP)
Romania's Simona Halep, world No.2, has given up participating in the WTA tournament in Palermo due to the quarantine imposed in Italy on anyone who has recently stayed in Romania or Bulgaria, the tournament management announced on Sunday.
"We have learned with great bitterness of the decision of the world No. 2 to cancel its participation," tournament director Oliviero Palma said in a statement.
According to the organizers of the tournament, this decision, which was communicated to them by the manager of the player, Virginia Ruzici, is linked to the quarantine imposed in Italy on people who have stayed in Romania or Bulgaria during the previous 14 days.
This measure was adopted by Italian authorities on Friday, as Romania and Bulgaria have seen an increase in new cases of coronavirus in recent weeks.
"We were optimistic yesterday and informed the Halep staff that professional players were not subject to this quarantine," added Palma.
"But the staff of Halep have just communicated their decision, which spoils all our efforts. We are bitter and deeply disappointed," he said.
Oliviero Palma had yet indicated on Twitter on Saturday that "Halep should participate in the 31st Palermo Women's Tennis Open".
The WTA tournament in Palermo, which takes place on clay from August 3, is set to mark the resumption of the tennis season after a five-month hiatus.
© 2020 AFP