Andy will go to US Open, says Lopez

There is more to Feliciano Lopez than the matinee idol looks which once prompted Judy Murray to christen him ‘Deliciano’. For not only is the Spaniard an active player — he would have been defending champion had Queen’s Club been in action this week — he is also tournament director of the prestigious Madrid Open, which he confidently expects will take place in September. he also believes that the US Open will also go ahead, in late August — an announcement is expected this week — and warns players they will have to take pay cuts. Despite her admiration the 38-year-old disagrees with the views of Judy, who told the BBC this weekend all international tennis should be suspended until January. ‘I think we need to start playing tennis as soon as possible,’ said world No 56 Lopez (below), via a Zoom call marking the anniversary of his Fever-Tree Championships title. ‘We need to play, the players, the tournaments, the ATP, we need to resume. It’s been already a long time, there are a lot of people struggling. ‘For the Madrid Open, we are trying to plan the event with no spectators for the moment, but we are confident that in September we can have 30 or 40 per cent of crowd capacity. ‘As a player I think we need to understand the situation. The companies and sponsors might have to fire employees. The first thing they cut is sponsorship and this is going to affect tennis massively. We have to understand it is not going to be the same, at least for one, two, three years.’ There are huge divisions among the players over whether the US Open should happen. At present the tournament seems ready to gamble that, if they put it on, enough will turn up to play. Some of the wealthy top players are reluctant to travel, but Lopez says that he will go. ‘I think the US Open know there might be many players that don’t want to play there,’ he said. ‘Is it a sacrifice? Yes. But you will have the physios on site and maybe your team waiting for you at the hotel. It is a small sacrifice.’ The Spaniard is in touch with Andy Murray, and believes that the 33-year-old Scot, due back in action next week at a closed British tournament, would join him at Flushing Meadows, if it happens and he is fit. ‘Two days ago I was talking to him and he was really pumped about the US Open,’ said Lopez. ‘he was starting to practise again. I asked about the hip, how it was, and he was positive.’