The bodies of tennis, ATP (male circuit), WTA (female circuit), ITF (International Federation) and the four Grand Slams, announced Tuesday the creation of a common fund of solidarity for players put in financial difficulties by the stopping of competitions due to Covid-19.
For his part, the president of the Players' Council Novak Djokovic called on the players to contribute to this fund as they wish, abandoning the idea of a scale according to the classification, mentioned last week.
Djokovic explains the new COVID-19 Player Relief Program 👇 pic.twitter.com/uNn5ncvFW1
- ATP Tour (@atptour) April 21, 2020"With as much uncertainty as to when it will be possible to safely resume professional circuits, world tennis authorities confirm that they are in discussion to create a Player Relief Program to provide the necessary assistance to players who are particularly affected in these times of coronavirus crisis (Covid-19) ", according to the press release.
No amount is specified, because "the details are being finalized", indicates the text by specifying that the Fund would be administered jointly by ATP and the WTA and that the seven stakeholders "would make significant donations" .
"Several million dollars"
According to Djokovic, who spoke live on Instagram, the amount of the fund would amount to "several million dollars" without counting the contribution of players. "I do not want to give a figure until the official announcement has been made," he said.
“Players, individually, can help as much as they want. I spoke with Roger (Federer) and Rafa (Nadal) and we tried to propose a scale model on what each could give, according to their ranking. But it is difficult to urge a player to give, regardless of their ranking. There are differences of opinion, "said the world number 1. Tennis has been stopped since the beginning of March and until at least mid-July, after notably the postponement of Roland-Garros in the fall and the historic cancellation of Wimbledon.
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- Coronavirus
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- Novak Djokovic
- ATP
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