Pros’ U.S. return amid pandemic no true model

The four players sure seemed thrilled to be playing some tennis with some prize money (amount undisclosed) at stake amid the coronavirus pandemic — even if the court was near the backyard swimming pool at someone’s mansion and there were zero ATP rankings points on the line, zero locker rooms, zero spectators, zero ball kids and barely any officials.

Those starved for live sports on television got a chance to see a quartet of men ranked from No. 29 to No. 57 — even if the format was gimmicky, with no-ad games and first-to-4 sets.

And those in charge of organizing future tennis matches could observe the social-distancing and other precautions put in place at what was billed as the sport’s “first competition on U.S. soil between ranked players” since pro tennis was suspended — even if

two participants drove to and from the match site together from the home they share.

Still, there was a key shortcoming to the made-forTV matches involving Reilly Opelka, Tommy Paul, Hubert Hurcacz and Miomir Kecmanovic on Friday and Saturday in West Palm Beach, Florida, where a three-day event was shortened to two because of rain in Sunday’s forecast: It didn’t offer a true model for what real tennis might look like whenever the ATP and WTA tours return from an already months-long hiatus that will last at least until mid-July due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“This is so different from a tournament,” Paul said in a telephone interview. “We have four people here and we’re taking everything super cautious and going to the extremes. I don’t know how they would do it with any more than four people.”

Although no one was required to be tested for COVID-19, Paul said he felt safe, thanks to measures intended to prevent the spread of the virus — measures similar to those tried elsewhere as tennis takes baby steps back.

Belarus and Germany have hosted unsanctioned matches; others are planned in Serbia and France. Matches in West Palm Beach involving four ranked women are scheduled for May 22-24. Rafael Nadal is among those wondering whether the tours will resume at all in 2020.

“We’re certainly paying attention to all of these type of exhibitions and other events that are starting to roll out around the world. You can learn from it,” U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier said.