Canada's Dabrowski slams decision
to go ahead with U.S. Open
Send a link to a friend
[June 17, 2020]
(Reuters) - Canadian doubles
specialist Gabriela Dabrowski has hit out at the decision to go
ahead with this year's U.S. Open, saying that despite strict health
protocols it will be "impossible" to protect players in a bio-secure
bubble throughout the event.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday the United States
Tennis Association would take "extraordinary precautions" to protect
players from COVID-19, including robust testing, additional
cleaning, extra locker room space and dedicated accommodation.
The event will go ahead as originally scheduled from Aug. 31 to
Sept. 13 without fans.
"It is IMPOSSIBLE to control and enforce a bubble situation where
players only move from the hotel to the venue and back," Dabrowski,
who has won the Australian Open and the French Open mixed doubles
titles, said on Twitter.
"We don't know who players will come into contact with and those
that don't obey put everyone else in the tournament at RISK."
Reports in U.S. media and tennis publications say the USTA had
decided to eliminate qualifying, halve the doubles draw to 32
pairings and drop the mixed doubles tournament altogether.
Dabrowski, 28, said many players were uncomfortable about travelling
to the United States due to the coronavirus situation and were
concerned about having to undergo multiple COVID-19 tests at the
event.
Others had expressed disappointment they would be unable to compete
because of the streamlined tournament, she added.
[to top of second column] |
Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada serves to Monica Puig of Peru during
their women's singles match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in
New York September 9, 2010. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
Women's world No. 2 Simona Halep is "highly unlikely" to play at
Flushing Meadows due to the protocols, a spokeswoman for the
Romanian told Reuters.
"Not having a qualifying and a smaller doubles draw increase the
lack of parity in tennis," said Dabrowski. "For me, a slam isn't a
slam without qualifying, doubles, and mixed doubles.
"It leaves a bad taste in my mouth when so many players are against
this event moving forward, and yet it is moving forward anyway.
Something just doesn't feel right here."
The USTA has had some support for its decision, with American John
Isner happy the event is going ahead.
"Well done @usta for being so forward thinking in getting this done.
Time to get back on the courts!" he said on Twitter.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by Peter
Rutherford)
[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|