Wheelchair tennis players cry foul

NEW YORK. — Top professional wheelchair tennis players have slammed a decision by US Open officials to scrap the wheelchair event from this year’s tournament as “disgusting discrimination”.

Tournament organisers confirmed earlier last week that a curtailed US Open will go ahead - from August 31 to September 13 in New York — without fans because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The qualifying event for able-bodied players, mixed doubles and junior competitions were also eliminated, while the number of teams in the men’s and women’s doubles events was reduced by half in a bid to cut the number of players at the tournament for health reasons.

Australian Paralympic champion Dylan Alcott said the wheelchair omission was “blatant discrimination” and the decision was made without consulting the players.

“I thought I did enough to qualify - 2x champion, number 1 in the world,” the 10-time Grand Slam winner wrote on Twitter. “But unfortunately I missed the only thing that mattered, being able to walk. Disgusting discrimination.”

Reigning singles and doubles champion with Alcott, Andy Lapthorne, expressed his disappointment over not being able to defend his titles, saying it was a “kick in the teeth”.

“It’s really tough to take,” the 29-year-old British athlete told the BBC.

“We’ve had to battle for a lot over the years for what we’ve got right now,” he said. “It just feels like we’re going back years, and that’s what hurts the most.”

The International Tennis Federation (ITF), the governing body of wheelchair tennis, said it “understands and shares the disappointment” caused by the decision. — AFP.