As doubts develop over whether or not or not the Grand Slam occasion can go forward as scheduled in New York, Djokovic admitted the calls for of organisers may create extreme pressure. PHOTO: AFP
CANBERRA: World primary Novak Djokovic described the strict hygiene restrictions beneath which the US Open is more likely to be performed as “extreme” and a cap on help groups as “really impossible” on Friday.
As doubts develop over whether or not or not the Grand Slam occasion can go forward as scheduled in New York, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in the US, Djokovic admitted the calls for of organisers may create extreme pressure.
“Just yesterday I had a telephone conversation with the leaders of world tennis, there were talks about the continuation of the season, mostly about the US Open due in late August, but it is not known whether it will be held,” the 33-year-old Serb informed Prva TV tv and quoted by Blic on-line each day.
“The rules that they told us that we would have to respect to be there, to play at all, they are extreme.”
Djokovic, champion on the US Open in 2011, 2015 and 2018, described deliberate limits on participant entourages as “really impossible”.
“We’d not have entry to Manhattan, we must sleep in lodges on the airport, to be examined twice or 3 times per week.
“Additionally, we may convey one particular person to the membership which is actually not possible.
“I mean, you need your coach, then a fitness trainer, then a physiotherapist. All their suggestions are really rigorous but I can understand that due to financial reasons, due to already existing contracts, organisers (want the event to be) held. We will see what will happen.”
Nadal, Barty fears
Djokovic was talking a day after world quantity two Rafael Nadal had expressed comparable reservations over the US Open, the principle draw for which begins on August 31.
Nadal, who gained a fourth US Open in 2019, mentioned that if the New York showpiece was being staged this week, he wouldn’t play.
“We cannot resume until the situation is completely safe and fair in terms of health in that all players, wherever they come from, can travel and play tournaments in safe conditions,” Nadal informed reporters in a video convention name.
“In the event you informed me to play the US Open right this moment, I’d say ‘no’.
“In a few months, I don’t know. I hope so. We have to wait for people to return to normal life. And when it does, wait to see how the virus evolves.”
The tennis tour has been in chilly storage since mid-March and won’t resume till late July on the earliest.
Wimbledon was cancelled for the primary time since World Conflict II, whereas the French Open has been shifted from Could-June to September-October.
Earlier Friday, girls’s world primary Ashleigh Barty additionally voiced warning about resuming tennis too quickly, saying she wanted extra data earlier than committing to the US Open.
“It’s exciting that tennis is being talked about again and things are moving in the right direction for us to start competing,” she informed the Sydney Morning Herald.
“But I’d need to understand all of the information and advice from the WTA and the USTA before making a decision on the US events.”
It’s anticipated that the ATP and WTA will challenge an replace on the US Open and the remainder of the season on Wednesday.
Even when the US Open goes forward, it’ll seemingly be behind closed doorways.
