New York (AFP)
"I was not sure I could play," admitted Kristina Mladenovic very moved after her qualification for the 2nd round of the US Open on Monday, referring to the consequences of the positive coronavirus test which led to the exclusion of his compatriot Benoît Paire.
“We had bad news two days ago and since then I've been going through a nightmare,” said the Frenchwoman. “I wasn't sure I could play. I was like a bubble in the bubble, so I'm very grateful. to be able to be on the court today ".
Paire's positive test, revealed on Sunday, led, in addition to his immediate exclusion from the tournament and his quarantine "for at least ten days", the confinement of a number of other players who had known him.
Their participation had since been threatened.
But tournament director Stacey Allaster assured Monday that all these players, whose names have not been officially disclosed, were "allowed to participate" after investigation.
According to the daily L'Equipe, the players concerned are Adrian Mannarino (who faced Lorenzo Sonego on Monday), Richard Gasquet, Grégoire Barrère and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
Mladenovic's name had not appeared among the threatened players until she herself admitted her fears on Monday.
The 44th world qualified Monday for the second round by eliminating the American Hailey Baptiste (236th and beneficiary of an invitation) 7-5, 6-2 in 1 h 26 min.
© 2020 AFP