Australia’s Ash Barty joins players to express concerns over US Open timings


Australia’s Ash Barty joins players to express concerns over US Open timings

Ash Barty

Australian tennis player Ash Barty has joined players who are concerned over the timings of US Open, while the world fights with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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“I have concerns too,” Barty stated in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

“I understand the tournaments are eager to run but keeping everyone safe has to be the priority.” she added.

However, World No.1 Djokovic told Serbia’s state broadcaster last week that most players he’s talked to “were quite negative” about entering the U.S. Open also for him, “as things stand, most probably the season will continue on clay at the beginning of September.”

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Earlier, The French Open was postponed from an early May start to late September because of the pandemic.

U.S. Open tournament director Stacey Allaster has also said that the organizers have been trying to figure out how to “engage fans virtually.”

Also Read: Tsitsipas, taking part in all-new Ultimate Tennis Showdown

However, under proposals to get the tournament started, players will be needed to prove that they are Covid negative before taking up flights and only one staff member will be allowed to accompany them.

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Barty said she’s “still getting my head around what the tournament set up would be.”

Like other countries, Australia has also closed borders since March and has adopted strict rules for social distancing and self-hygiene. Untill now, there have been 7335 cases and 102 deaths due to the pandemic in the country.

A Grand Slam title defense is likely a priority for the remainder of the year, but there’s not much known yet.

“It’s tough to set goals, that’s for sure, (when) we still don’t really know what the rest of the year will look like, there is so much out of our control.,” Barty said.

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”When we have some certainty on the rest of the year, my team and I will sit down and set a few tennis goals.” she added.

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