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Sloane Stephens: Successful US Open Will Depend on Player’s Respect of Bubble
The former champion says that players ultimately hold the key to making the US Open Covid-freeBy Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday August 8, 2020
American Sloane Stephens hopes that tennis players and their entourages are ready to accept the important responsibilities that await them at the 2020 US Open.
The 27-year-old 2017 US Open champion talked to reporters today at a press conference ahead of the Top Seed Open in Lexington and said that even though the US Open’s protective bubble is designed to keep the coronavirus out, it’s ultimately up to the players and how much responsibility they take upon their own shoulders.
The jury is still out on whether or not tennis can handle that responsibility, Stephens says.
“My honest opinion is, I’ve said this from the very beginning, I said this on the first call we had with the USTA, that it might ultimately depend on others being responsible, and I think a lot of tennis players haven’t taken enough responsibility to take care of the other people surrounding them and the world surrounding them, so that’s been a little disappointing,” she said.
It has been a tricky summer for the sport and several top players have made the mistake of not taking the virus seriously enough. At the Adria Tour in the Balkans, World No.1 Novak Djokovic tested positive along with several other players, including Grigor Dimitrov and Borna Coric after holding events in Serbia and Croatia with very relaxed social distancing enforcement.
Sloane Stephens: "I guess going into the US Open they’d better have National Guard out there or something because it’s going to be a treat to see all of the crazy things that happen. But fingers crossed for a safe and COVID-free US Open" https://t.co/EJ0du4euYJ
— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) August 8, 2020
Governments played a role in the problem, as Serbia had cleared major sporting events as it relaxed its policies. It’s another example of the complicated communication that must take place between the tours, the players and governmental authorities. Mixed messaging, as we've seen in the United States, won't cut it.
Stephens says she’ll have her fingers crossed that things will go well in New York.
“We’re going in this bubble, we’ll just have to see,” she said. “I’m not sure what will happen, I’m not sure if people will take it seriously, but we just have to wait and see. I would hate for it to be a situation where someone actually gets sick or gets the virus or something terrible happens, but that is the reality of people not taking responsibility or doing what’s best for other people surrounding them and their co-workers and fellow players or whatever, so I guess I’ll just have to pray.”
The American says that now is the time for players to think about their peers and the world at large and stop being selfish.
“Yes, I definitely think we’ve seen a lot of [selfishness],” she said. “I guess going to the US Open they better have the National Guard out there or something, because it’s going to be a treat to see all the crazy things that happen, but fingers crossed for a safe and Covid-free US Open.”
Svitolina and Bertens Withdraw from US Open
The withdrawal of the World No.5 and 7 make it three Top 10 players now out of the US Open on the women's side. The US Open women’s singles draw has lost a few big names.
World No.5 Elina Svitolina and World No.7 Kiki Bertens both announced their withdrawal on Friday, citing concerns related to travelling during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I still don’t feel comfortable to travel to US without putting myself and my team at high risk,” wrote Svitolina on social media.
— Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) August 7, 2020
“After long consideration I have decided not to go to the states for Cincinnati and the US open,” wrote Bertens in an Instagram post. The situation around COVID-19 is still that worrying and the health of everyone and the control over this virus is priority."
Svitolina reached her first US Open semi-final last September, and will be able to keep those points in the rankings.
Bertens reached the third round at last year’s US Open, matching her best ever performance in New York.
In total, three Top 10 players are already out of the 2020 US Open. Svitolina and Bertens join Ash Barty, who announced her withdrawal last week. World No.30 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova also announced her withdrawal this week, citing similar concerns.
Missing the @usopen will come at a cost to @NastiaPav this year. She had not missed a main draw at a Slam since 2008. Watch her talk about this difficult decision 👇 🎥 https://t.co/iSUA68eUja
— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) August 7, 2020
Andy Murray Says More Top Players Will Pull out of US Open
The former champion says that each player must make this difficult decision based on their own unique circumstances. Andy Murray says that it is very likely that more top players will follow Ash Barty’s lead and pull out of the 2020 US Open.
“I think we will see it quite a bit,” the three-time major champion said on Thursday. “I have heard some of the top male players aren’t going to play. I would expect that would be the case.”
“I have heard some of the top male players aren’t going to play. I would expect that would be the case.” – @andy_murray
Will more top players soon pull out of US Open? 👇 https://t.co/jvc588ylCu
— Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) July 30, 2020
Murray himself has said he’d like to play the Open if it goes ahead. He is currently competing in the Battle of the Brits and working himself into top form.
“It’s everyone’s personal decision,” Murray said of playing Cincinnati and the US Open. “If they don’t feel safe, and don’t feel comfortable, travelling and going there and putting themselves and their team at an increased risk, then it’s completely understandable. All of the players will have some reservations and it’s whether or not you feel comfortable taking that risk.”
Murray believes that the US Open’s bubble will be effective—it’s the travel to and from the United States that he finds concerning.
“Like I said the other day, my feeling is once we are inside that bubble they created, we will be okay. It’s more the international travel and getting there which I will be a bit concerned about it.” Main draw play at Western and Southern Open begins on August 20 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, with the US Open’s main draw starting on August 31, all without spectators.
5 of the WTA’s Top 10 Will Skip Cincinnati
The Western and Southern Open has released its player field for 2020. What does it mean for the US Open? The player field at the Western and Southern Open (to be held in New York: main draw begins on Saturday, August 23) is set. And a few big names have been left off the list on the WTA side.
Only five of the WTA’s Top 10 players have committed to play the event, which means that we’ll be waiting expectantly to see which names are not on the US Open player entry list when it is released next Monday.
For now we know that World No.1 Ash Barty and World No.2 Simona Halep, along with Bianca Andreescu, Naomi Osaka and Elina Svitolina, will not be playing Cincinnati.
The @CincyTennis player field has been announced. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/LpMOQ68gXk
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) July 29, 2020
Of course, missing Cincinnati does not preclude a player from playing the US Open (which begins the following week, on August 31) but one would think that a player motivated to play in New York would want to get to Cincinnati to pick up some extra matches after a long layoff.
Andreescu, who is the defending US Open champion, has still not played since injuring her knee at the WTA Finals Shenzhen last year. Osaka is believed to be in good health, and staying in the United States, so her absence from the Cincinnati entry list comes as a bit of a surprise.
Halep, Barty and Svitolina have all indicated that they are not too excited about coming to the New York. It wouldn’t be surprising if all three elect to pass on the US Open.
On the men’s side a few notable names were left off the list as well: Gael Monfils, Stan Wawrinka, Fabio Fognini and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
The US Open player entry deadline lands on Monday August 3. Stay tuned for more info.
USTA Cancels Orlando Events
USTA says it could not create safety bubble required for two Challenger events.
The North American summer hard-court season continues to shrink.
The USTA cancelled a pair of Orlando ATP Challenger events scheduled for next month. The cancellation comes after the Citi Open in Washington, DC was slashed from the calendar due to Coronavirus concerns.
More: Agnieszka Radwanska Gives Birth
The Orlando Open presented by Nemours 1, scheduled for August 22-29th, and the Orlando Open presented by Nemours 2, scheduled to be held August 29-September 6th, both at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida have been cancelled. Both Challengers were created in an effort to provide prize money for lower-ranked players unable to qualify for the US Open.
Calendar Update
The two #ATPChallenger events in Orlando, scheduled for the weeks of 24 Aug & 31 Aug, have been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. pic.twitter.com/Pzi8rGQgJy
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) July 27, 2020
The US Open is set to start on August 31st at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The USTA confirmed it still plans to host both the Western & Southern Open and the US Open in succession at the National Tennis Center as scheduled amid a safety bubble designed to protect players, coaches and staff from Coronavirus.
The USTA said after consulting with its medical advisory group it made the decision to axe the Orlando events because creating the safety bubble necessary to ensure protection from COVID-19 was not logistically or economically feasible.
"Although detailed health and safety protocols had been planned, without the creation of a controlled environment that includes a comprehensive and contained lodging, transportation, food and beverage, and medical testing program in place, as will be the case for the Western & Southern Open and US Open, proper risk mitigation would not be possible – and in the case of these events, this type of environment would logistically and financially be difficult to create," the USTA said in a statement. "As the health and safety for all those involved is the greatest concern of the USTA, these factors, coupled with the current rates of COVID-19 in Florida, were key in driving the decision making process."
The complete USTA statement on the cancellation is here:
Due to the situation surrounding COVID-19, the USTA has made the decision to cancel the Orlando Open presented by Nemours 1, scheduled to be held August 22 – 29, and the Orlando Open presented by Nemours 2, scheduled to be held August 29 – September 6, both at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. The decision to cancel these two ATP Challenger 150 events was made with input from the USTA Medical Advisory Group, to ensure the health and safety of all those involved with these tournaments.
Although detailed health and safety protocols had been planned, without the creation of a controlled environment that includes a comprehensive and contained lodging, transportation, food and beverage, and medical testing program in place, as will be the case for the Western & Southern Open and US Open, proper risk mitigation would not be possible – and in the case of these events, this type of environment would logistically and financially be difficult to create. As the health and safety for all those involved is the greatest concern of the USTA, these factors, coupled with the current rates of COVID-19 in Florida, were key in driving the decision making process.
Photo credit: Jennifer Pottheiser/USTA
Johanna Konta Begins Trial Run with Thomas Hogstedt
The British No.1 has parted ways with Dimitri Zavialoff. Top-ranked Brit Johanna Konta has made a change to her coaching team.
The World No.14 has parted ways with Dimitri Zavialoff and hooked up with Thomas Hogstedt on a trial basis.
Jo Konta to link up with coach whose CV includes Maria Sharapova and a host of other high profile clients. https://t.co/027y6hvoeQ
— Mike Dickson (@Mike_Dickson_DM) July 24, 2020
Hogstedt will be the sixth coach in six years for Konta, who has also worked with Esteban Carril, José Manuel GarcÃa, Wim Fissette and Michael Joyce.
Zavialoff and Konta had tremendous success, after beginning together in November of 2018. Reportedly Zavialoff's desire to travel less is what helped make the split unavoidable.
More: Johanna Konta Q&A with TN's Richard Pagliaro
She reached the semis at Roland Garros, becoming the first British woman to do so since 1983, and re-entered the Top 20 in June for the first time in 15 months. She also reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals and the Rome final.
Hogstedt is a well-known entity who has coached Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Simona Halep, Tommy Haas and many others. He is 56 years old.
Lucky Letcord Podcast: SBJ’s Bret McCormick on Potential WTA/ATP Merger
On today's edition of the Lucky Letcord Podcast Chris Oddo and Bret McCormick discuss what a potential WTA/ATP merger might look like and wonder about some of the hurdles.
Today on the Lucky Letcord Podcast Bret McCormick of the Sports Business Journal joins host Chris Oddo to share his insights on what a potential WTA/ATP merger would look like.
Talk of a potential merger between the tours bubbled over in late April when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal took to Twitter to show their support for a union of the tours. Since then many important names in the sport of joined in, including WTA founder Billie Jean King.
But with all the pressing matters that the powers that be in tennis need to tend to of late, as the coronavirus rages, conversation has slipped to the back burner.
That's why we brought McCormick in. He's been talking to people behind the scenes about this topic for a while now, and in late June he released his article on the subject, which can be found here:
. @AndreaGaudenzi
wants the tennis fan to have a "one sign-on" experience (literally and figuratively). That's the boiled down version of a vision that would see the @atptour
and @WTA work much more closely on commercial, fan-facing efforts: https://t.co/BpvRUj1DPj#sportsbiz pic.twitter.com/OujsAIO30g— Bret McCormick (@Bretjust1T) June 29, 2020
Have a listen and get hip to the nuances of the relationship between the tour and how a union might affect sponsorships, TV rights and the media enterprises that are owned and operated by both factions.
Who would benefit? How can it happen? Is it even possible?
Join us for a discussion!
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Clijsters on Comeback Keys
Hall of Famer talks motivational power ahead of her World TeamTennis comeback.
Patience and positivity fuel Kim Clijsters' comeback.
The 37-year-old Belgian returns to action playing for the New York Empire in World TeamTennis.
More: Djokovic Derides "Witch Hunt", Unsure on US Open
The 45th WTT season starts on Sunday. Clijsters and the Empire will take on the Washington Kastles on Monday, July 13th at 5 p.m. Eastern time.
WTT’s 63-match regular season, scheduled from July 12-30th at The Greenbrier “America’s Resort” in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, will either be televised or live-streamed on CBS, CBS Sports Network, the CBS Sports app, Tennis Channel, ESPN+ or Facebook Watch.
The Hall of Famer joined fellow former US Open champion Sloane Stephens and WTT CEO Carlos Silva on a conference call with the media today. Clijsters said patience has been vital during the sport's shutdown due to coronavirus.
"I think in the last few months just being patient [is key]," Clijsters said. "As an athlete, a lot of athletes we're so used to setting goals: short-terms goals long-term goals and obviously with the schedule changing so often, which is normal the last few months with everything that's happened, you have to adjust. You've had to find motivation and things that can trigger you to go out there and still work hard.
"I think that's something when I've read stories from other players and athletes from other sports it's hard to find that internal motivaton and not know when am I competing again. When am I going to be feeling that adrenaline coming from a crowd or from playing in big moments? So I think it's important to be more patient even. I think that has probably been the most important lesson for me."
One of the few players to hold the world No. 1 ranking in singles and doubles simultaneously, Clijsters was juggling training and home-schooling her three children with husband Brian Lynch. Clijsters and her family, who split time between their homes in New Jersey and Belgum, were in the Garden State when the coronavirus outbreak hit the United States.
Fifteen years removed from winning her first of three US Open championships, Clijsters said the COVID-19 crisis has not dampened her enthusiasm for the comeback.
"Trust the process and of course in my situation I've got a lot of questions from the Belgian media," Clijsters said: "Do you still want to go through with it? Do you want to still keep playing now with everything going on? Yes, it doesn't mean just because Coronavirus happened that I'm not interested in playing more tennis.
"Of course, there's some challenges combining parenting at home, teaching the kids at home and still going to practice was challenging. At the same time, we get through that together and we've had great family momembnts so you learn if you just try to see the positive things out of the moments you're in I think that's another big lesson you learn."
For the second consecutive year, CBS Sports will televise the WTT Playoffs live. CBS Sports Network will air the WTT Semifinals at 2 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Eastern on August 1st before CBS’ first live broadcast of the August 2nd WTT Final at 12 p.m. ET. Tennis Channel will air replays of all WTT Playoffs matches,
Photo credit: @DDFTennis
Donna Vekic and Torben Beltz, on Different Pages, Part Ways
The 24-year-old Croatian is in the market for a new coach ahead of tennis' resumption. Torben Beltz and Donna Vekic have parted ways. Beltz, who worked with the Croatian for two and a half years, starting in 2018, helped Vekic break into the Top 20 for the first time last season.
But apparently they are not on the same page anymore, and Vekic’s reply to Beltz’s tweet on Wednesday is evidence of this.
Well this is the first time I’m hearing of different views in practice and tournament schedules…? 😂😂😂
— Donna Vekic (@DonnaVekic) July 8, 2020
“Unfortunately Team Donna and I had different views in setting up the practice and tournament schedule for the restart of the tour which is why we will go separate ways!” said Beltz on social media.
To which Vekic replied: “Well this is the first time I’m hearing of different views in practice and tournament schedules…?”
The 24-year-old World No.24 reached a career-high No.19 in the world last year.
Beltz, the former coach of Angelique Kerber, guided the German to two of her three major titles in their second stint working together.
Kerber: Dual Dream
Former No. 1 states two tennis dreams.
Coronavirus crisis has shut down the sport and provided players time to ponder tennis dreams.
Angelique Kerber shared dual dreams: win Roland Garros to complete the career Grand Slam and partner Alexander Zverev in mixed doubles at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.
More: Becker Battles Kyrgios in Twitter Tiff
The former world No. 1 told German Sky Sport winning "Paris would be a dream." Kerber is a two-time French Open quarterfinalist.
The 2018 Wimbledon winner, who won the Australian Open and US Open in 2016, did not reveal when and where she plans to launch her return to tournament tennis.
The 32-year-old Kerber said she wants to play both singles and mixed doubles "with Sascha Zverev" at the Tokyo Games.
Kerber and Zverev previously partnered at the Hopman Cup leading Germany to successive finals in 2018 and 2019 where they fell to the Swiss squad of Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
