Ashleigh Barty needs more information before committing to US Open
World number one Ashleigh Barty said she needs to be sure, before making a decision to play when tennis resumes. Barty said she needs more information before committing to the US Open in August. The Australian said it was not just her but her entire team she must consider in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Here's more.
I'd need to understand all of the information, says Barty
"It's exciting that tennis is being talked about again and things are moving in the right direction for us to start competing," Barty told 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."
Tennis has been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic
Tennis has been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and it remains to be seen how things shape up. Last month, the ATP and WTA Tours were suspended further because of the COVID-19 crisis. At the moment, we might not have any tennis action until the end of July. Earlier, the 2020 tennis calendar had been suspended until at least July 13.
USTA drafting alternative venue plans for US Open
Meanwhile, The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is pressing ahead with preparations to stage the US Open 2020 in New York this year but is "aggressively" drafting alternative plans for the tournament. The US Open is set to be held from August 31 to September 13. New York has been the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
It's my team I have to consider, says Barty
Barty said she was concerned about travel exemptions for her support staff. While players could be exempted from a 14-day quarantine period, it remains unclear whether that also applies to their teams. "It's not just me, it's my team I have to consider," she said.
Nadal has his say on tennis amid the current situation
On Thursday, Rafael Nadal said tennis should not start again "until the situation is completely safe". "If you told me to play the US Open today, I would say 'no'," he said. "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."
