Tennis behind closed doors?
In the annual global professional tennis schedule US-Open is the last of the four Grand-Slam events. The Australian Open was played in January – it escaped the virus. The second, French Open was postponed. The third, the Wimbledon was cancelled. It is US Open time.
US Open is scheduled to start on the 31st of August. In all probability it will happen behind closed doors. Right now this is the only option to any big events. Players list is not confirmed yet. The warm up for this year’s US Open, Western and Southern will begin on 20th August. Apart from the US players some Europeans are already there. Most in the top twenty have said that they will not travel to USA.
Quarantine issue and exposure
Tennis players are nothing if they do not play tennis events. In another note, players feel that they should do what is best for everybody and not only to tennis, events and themselves. All professional have expressed this view.
Players outside USA face two issues going for US Open 2020. The players travelling into must get a waiver from quarantine when entering USA. Even if this is granted it would be living in very restricted environment for players and their team. Even doing this, is it practically possible without being exposed to the dangers? Second is, will they be allowed to return to their own country after the event? If so, without quarantine? Considering all these, one could say US Open cannot have full roll call of the elites.
Women’s number one Ashleigh Barty, Nadal, Wawrinka and good many have openly said that they will not ‘travel’ to USA. Federer is recuperating from knee issues and will not play this year. Halep is in Romania and very reluctant to travel. This is the tone of the good players at present. None of them are willing to travel till it is safe again for everyone in the world ……… when will that be?
French Open 2020
Already an event organised by Djokovic in his European home country few months ago ended up infecting a few good players and support team members. In this light, outsiders entering France poses an issue.
French Open has announced that their postponed event for this year will follow US Open in September. Even if you are European player, France will insist on the precautionary measures, one such could be declaring the countries players visited in the last 30 days. USA will be certainly will be in that taboo list. In this situation, European players’ obvious choice will be to stay at home and play the French Open and some events in Europe than go to USA for two events. None of these are a surety as things stand now.
2020 tennis calendar
There will not be very many events this year anyway. Playing behind closed doors cannot be achieved easily without very big changes to the events facilities. Even if this is achieved the exposure to danger will not be eliminated but reduced.
Events played behind closed doors will be shown via media coverage. This too will be restricted to actual court coverage and nothing else. Commentators will most probably be in the TV stations and not at court-side. It is only when the details are explored, the magnitude of disturbance to sport and daily life due to Corona virus comes to light.
ATP, WTA, National issues
Of all the issues, the one that will be very difficult to control under the COVID threat is players’ practice-match-play sessions. The mechanics and manpower available in management is the safety factor of sports events now. This will not be available in the match play practice sessions of players, at all levels. Professionals and national players are facing this difficulty at present. If it is done the cost of match play practice safety will be a telling amount to the professional player’s purse. In this light, we have to accept that the exhibition of the game will lose considerable lustre without good practice possibilities to players.
Restart will be a struggle
Restart of events next year will be a struggle. Players too will find it difficult to come into full steam situation again. It is the spectator interest that will need most energy to crank up the enthusiasm to former levels by the event organisers. The punches on the economy, social contact and freedom of movement that we got from the virus attack has created considerable income dent to all. Unfortunately, situation is nowhere closer to a global turnaround.
Good side
The professional players are looking fresh and have overcome their accumulated fatigue and injuries. For those who have been in the professional circuit for ten long years this is good. However extended period without activity could take their sharpness of tactical play, fighting spirits and physical abilities to a low level.
In Sri Lanka, we are in a better situation. We are an isolated island, had an early lockdown, our National Health Service and its knowhow in treating virus proved effective, was successful in containing it but unfortunately, we are surrounded by badly affected nations which are struggling.
In one way or other we have to keep participatory sport going. For public health participatory side of sport is an essential need.
George Paldano, Int. competition player; Accredited Coach of German Tennis Federation; National coach Brunei, Sri Lanka, Davis-Cup & Federation-Cup. geodano2015@gmail.com