The United States Tennis Association is pressing ahead with preparations to stage the US Open in New York this year but is “aggressively” drafting alternative plans for the tournament, a spokesman said on Thursday.
With New York the
epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, the US Open’s
apparently precarious place on the sporting calendar has faced increasing
speculation in recent weeks.
Multiple reports
have suggested that USTA officials are mulling a possible switch of the August
31-September 13 tournament to either Indian Wells or Orlando in an effort to
evade the clutches of COVID-19.
However, USTA
spokesman Chris Widmaier said in an email to AFP on Thursday that the
organisation’s sights remained firmly set on staging the Open at its regular
venue and date.
“The USTA’s
goal is to hold the 2020 US Open in New York on its currently scheduled dates,”
Widmaier said, describing planning for the tournament as “ongoing.”
“We understand that
there is a great deal of speculation regarding the USTA’s planning for the 2020
US Open,” he added. “We would like to clarify that while we are exploring every possibility
around the US Open, the potential to shift the event location or date is not at
the forefront at this point in time.”
Widmaier added,
however, that because of the “uncertain and rapidly-changing environment”
caused by COVID-19, the USTA had been “aggressively modeling many other
contingencies, including scenarios with no fans.”
A final decision on
plans for the US Open would be taken next month, in “mid-to-late June”,
Widmaier said.
“Paramount with all
our decisions regarding the US Open will be the health and safety of all
those involved, in any capacity, with the tournament,” Widmaier said.
USTA officials are
in constant contact with New York State and City agencies regarding
coronavirus.
COVID-19 has
wreaked havoc with the international tennis calendar, which has ground to a
standstill since the crisis erupted.
The French Open at
Roland Garros has already been postponed until the end of September while
Wimbledon has been cancelled.
Spanish star Rafael
Nadal meanwhile has questioned whether the sport will be able to return this
year, describing 2020 as “practically lost” in an interview earlier this month.
The New York Times
meanwhile reported on Wednesday that the USTA had not yet held any serious
talks with Larry Ellison, the billionaire owner of Indian Wells Tennis Garden
about possibly relocating the US Open to the California desert.
The Times reported
that the other venue under possible consideration, the USTA’s 100-court Orlando
training center was problematical as there was no infrastructure to support
fans and courts would also need to be wired for live television.
