US Open To Make Decision On Event In June, Playing Without Fans Unlikely

USTA head Mike Dowse announced today that a decision on the US Open will be made in June.

“In one sense we’re very fortunate that we’re the fourth Grand Slam to go, so time is on our side at this point,” Dowse said during a conference call Thursday. “Obviously our ambition is to run the tournament. It’s the engine that drives our organization, our governing body.

“The driving factor will be the health and well being of the players, the fans and our staff. To that we just don’t have enough information that we can run the tournament safely. We’ve set a timeframe around June to make that decision. The way we’re approaching it is through a medical advisory group. We have five or six doctors that are consulting with us on a regular basis. Based off that information, we’ll ultimately make the decision if it’s safe to play the tournament or not. So stay tuned on that.”

With the New York City hard hit by the coronavirus, the thought of playing without fans doesn’t seem to be an option.

“Just to be 100% clear, we’re not taking anything off the table,” he said of playing the event without spectators. “Right now I’d say that’s a highly unlikely scenario.

“That’s not really in the spirit of the celebration of tennis. It also goes back to the health and well being of not just the spectators but of our players and support staff that help run the tournament.”

The US Open is scheduled to begin on August 31.