Paris (AFP)

Spaniard Fernando Verdasco said on Friday he was "frustrated and outraged" at being ousted from the main draw at Roland Garros due to a positive test for the new coronavirus.

"I want to let people know how I am totally frustrated and revolted against the organization of Roland-Garros which deprives me of my right to participate in this important event without even offering me the possibility of taking another test with a new sample which could confirm that the result of the first test was an error, "the 36-year-old Spanish veteran said in a statement posted on Twitter.

The 58th player in the world explains having contracted "Covid-19 asymptomatically" in August and having passed four PCR tests, all negative income, before his new positive test before Roland-Garros.

In the meantime, he has played in the tournament in Rome, from which he was eliminated from the outset after a match lost against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur ... himself excluded from the Roland-Garros qualifications because considered as a contact case.

"The organization of Roland-Garros refused that I submit to another test, despite all these circumstances and the fact that there were enough days left for further tests before the start of the competition and the draw, s 'insurgents the ex-world No.7. Despite everything, I was disqualified ".

He claims to have since carried out three tests, on his own initiative - two PCR and one serological - all negative income.

“We should at least have the right to conduct new tests to avoid unfair disqualifications,” says Verdasco.

Five players have already been excluded from qualifying due to Covid-19: two tested positive and three others declared "contact cases".

This is particularly the case of Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, excluded from qualifying because of the positive test suffered by his trainer Petar Popovic.

While it was subsequently tested negative, according to a result posted on social networks.

“We're sure it was a false positive because my trainer has antibodies,” Dzumhur wrote on Instagram.

"He was not allowed to take a second test. I am devastated."

In fact at Roland Garros, in the event of a positive result, the same sample is checked a second time and the player excluded if the positive result is confirmed.

© 2020 AFP