US Open Looking At Drastic Measures To Hold Event: Held In NYC, No Fans, Charter Flights For Players

by Staff | June 1st, 2020, 10:44 am
  • 2 Comments

Over the weekend, the Associated Press talked with US Open executives about plans for holding the event as scheduled on August 31.

Some of the ideas include:
* Charter flights for players from several cities in Europe, SA and Middle East
* Limit entourages
* Daily temperature checks
* Players must test negative for COVID before flying in
* Fewer on-court officials
* Ballkids (adults only) are OK
* Special housing for players
* No fans

“All of this is still fluid,” Stacey Allaster, the U.S. Tennis Association’s chief executive for professional tennis, said to the AP. “We have made no decisions at all.”


The US Open is still planning to make a decision in mid-June (two weeks).

It also doesn’t sound like playing the event anywhere other than New York is an option right now.

Allaster added that players would essentially come on site, practice, then go back to hotel. No lounging around. Also, there hasn’t been any discussing of reducing the sets, so for now it’s still best-of-3 women, best-of-5 men. And what events are still planned to be held. Will there be doubles, mixed doubles, juniors and qualifying?


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2 Comments for US Open Looking At Drastic Measures To Hold Event: Held In NYC, No Fans, Charter Flights For Players

PK Says:

Holding a tennis tournament in New York without spectators? What’s the point??

A soulless exercise to secure TV advertising dollars. Sigh.


chrisford1 Says:

I’d rather have Wimbledon and THEIR fans happen vs. the USO with or without THEIR fans.
I don’t know about the USO organizers trying to impose travel restrictions after Trump signed an order allowing international travel for pro sports players.
I don’t know if players will put up with being quarantined when the rest of the City is open in 3 months.
And if schools are open and kids don’t die of Wuhan except in rare occasions of pre-existing conditions – why banning healthy ballkids is smart, necessary.
Must test negative? What of those who have had it, recovered or never knew they had it and are fine and non-contagious?
NYC is the epicenter for bad American politics and poor Wuhan virus response. No other city was mishandled worse than NYC with the possible exception of the communist decision makers in Wuhan, in Hibei regional government and by Beijing.
Larry Ellison stands ready to do the USO at Indian Wells in the fall. Spectators and all. Plenty for players to see and do. Golf. Tours for player’s entourages.

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