Somehow the show goes on...
But Djokovic unhappy after French star’s virus drama
AN ATTEMPTED call to the Governor of New York from Novak Djokovic, a long delay to a match while local health officials decided if one of the players was eligible to compete. Just another day at the US Open, which is ploughing through to its halfway point while trying to withstand the buffeting from the Covid-19 crisis.
The latest episode unfolded on Friday night before Frenchman Adrian Mannarino was finally allowed to play his third-round tie against Alex Zverev, which he went on to lose.
Despite having played two rounds already while being in half-quarantine — due to his previous contacts with the positively-tested Benoit Paire — New York’s health department initially questioned his right to play before relenting after a hiatus of three hours.
Djokovic, the new self-appointed guardian of player rights, tried to get State Governor Andrew Cuomo on the phone to intervene before the match got the go-ahead.
Looking on, possibly with some dread, at the events of the past week will be the French Open, due to start later this month. It will be held against a backdrop of rising Covid-19 cases in Paris.
The French are yet to fully reveal their plans, amid growing player frustrations, with the qualifying event barely a fortnight away. They are considering two hotels for players, not as far removed from central areas as has been the case in New York.
The clay-court Grand Slam is likely to operate with similar restrictions on players to those around Flushing Meadows, and the same is expected at next week’s Italian Open.
‘I’ve been hearing Rome and Paris may be even tougher circumstances than here,’ said Djokovic. ‘We’re likely to experience the bubble in Rome and Paris, as we are experiencing here.’
Of all the professional sporting bubbles, this has arguably been the most difficult to execute. A tennis event full of international players numbering over 300 before counting entourages does not have the relative advantage of, say, the Premier League or NBA.
Their star performers are employees of individual clubs, and used to being subjected to team discipline.
They are never easy to herd, even when given the chance to win $53million in prize money. And that got worse last night when Kristina Mladenovic was prevented from playing her secondround doubles match and ordered to quarantine in her hotel room.
Mladenovic and Timea Babos, the top seeds in the women’s doubles, had been due to play Gabriela Dabrowski and Alison Riske but the match disappeared from the schedule and tournament organisers later confirmed it was due to an order from public health officials in Nassau County.
Mannarino, one of 11 players under restrictions after being tracked and traced via Paire, was reasonably phlegmatic after his defeat.
He explained that the complication leading to the delay involved State officials initially overruling those working for New York City.
‘The city actually allowed me to play with a new protocol,’ he said. ‘The state took over this decision to say that I’ve been exposed to a positive case, so I should be quarantined in my room.
Mannarino thanked No 7 seed Zverev for agreeing to the delay, he could have demanded a default, and said he was grateful for being allowed to compete.
However, he now has to isolate in his hotel room, even though he is out of the tournament.
Djokovic — whose path to the final looks even clearer after Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered a five-set defeat against Croatia’s Borna Coric — may raise his voice again on these matters.
‘I am not happy with the way these circumstances and this situation with the French players was managed,’ declared the world No1.
Meanwhile, Serena Williams’ quest for a 24th Grand Slam singles title remains alive after she came from a set down to defeat Sloane Stephens in the third round last night.
The third seed came into the tournament in poor form and was sluggish in the opening set but improved significantly to triumph 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.