Hopes high for Aussie tennis summer
THE post COVID-19 Australian summer of tennis could be extended beyond a month with additional tournaments played around the country as officials look to offer global stars greater opportunities.
Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley said should the coronavirus position across the country be safe enough, some tournaments could also feature larger draws.
While authorities continue to work on biosecurity protocols, TA is exploring options given the current fluidity of the tour.
The ATP and WTA tours were suspended in mid-March for more than four months, but in recent weeks, officials have begun adding extra events through Europe for competitors.
While players and coaches will require travel exemptions to enter Australia and must then serve a fortnight of quarantine, the nation is well-positioned to be a land of opportunity.
Tiley confirmed this could see additional “jobs”, which is tour slang for entries, created through an increase in draw sizes for both main draws and qualifying rounds at tour events leading into the Australian Open.
It could also mean that lower-tier events held in cities outside the main capitals in early January are upgraded to proper tour status.
The ATP Cup may only be held in one city instead of three, given the circumstances, but provided the health outlook is sound, there is optimism about the summer ahead.
“There will be more jobs for players, pending infection rates, because if there is a spike, that probably can’t happen,” Tiley said. “But the players are going to be looking to here and it makes a lot of sense.”