Extension with doubts: there will be a calendar on June 15

The ATP held a meeting this Wednesday via Zoom with a large group of professional players (420), including the best Spanish, in which he informed them of his plans to resume the season from August. An important announcement about the future of the circuit was expected, stopped since March 12, which finally did not occur. The outcome of the soap opera that has world tennis in suspense will be known after an extension. According to sources consulted by AS, the Association gave tennis players a period of five days, until June 15, to express their opinions. On that date, in principle, the new calendar would be announced for the remainder of the 2020 course.

In this telematic meeting of more than an hour and a half, moderated by the president of the ATP, Andrea Gaudenzi, the executive director of the US Open, Stacey Allaster, intervened (future CEO), who confirmed that the intention of the USTA is for the New York Grand Slam to take place on the scheduled dates (from August 31 to September 13), without public and with the special security measures on which he reported a few days ago. They include, among other things, charter flights from Europe, face masks, daily controls, restrictions on accommodation (one hotel for everyone at JFK airport) and the number of team members of each tennis player (only one could enter the facilities Flushing Meadows), always eaten in the tournament … All highly criticized by the players, starting with the union president, Novak Djokovic, who could consider not going because, like many others, he does not welcome the fact that he spent a month in the Queens neighborhood., locked in a room on the outskirts and unable to even enter Manhattan. “They are very extreme and unimaginable measures. For me, at the moment the most realistic thing is for the season to resume on clay, at the beginning of September. In Madrid and Rome, possibly before Roland Garros ”, he warned. The ATP solution to convince the Serb and his companions would go through a financial offer that would mean an increase in prizes.

In addition, in the US Open there would be no preliminary phase and the doubles table would be shorter (24 pairs), with a compensation of two million dollars (1.75 euros) for the 350 players who would be discarded. The Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, with a larger table, would move to New York before major and the events in Washington and, probably, Winston-Salem would be held earlier. Two other scenarios are also contemplated: the cancellation of Cincinnati, with which the prior of the US Open would be held, and the suspension of both tournaments, in the worst case if the sanitary conditions are not met. At the same time, clay tournaments could be played in Europe.

Other matters such as the restart of the ranking, frozen before Indian Wells, were discussed at the meeting., the points that would be earned in each tournament or if there is any positive for COVID-19 among the tennis players, aspects that the ATP is still not very clear about. Players are also concerned that there is no level playing field for all because of each country's restrictions. They don't want a circuit for a few. In four days there will be a verdict.

Calendar proposal

The WTA, which had representation at the ATP meeting, although only to observe, is a bit on the loose regarding its plans to resume activity. The British player Tara Moore published on her Twitter account a proposal for a calendar sent to all the players, on Federation letterhead (ITF), which includes the dates of the tournaments in Washington (August 10 to 16), New York-based Cincinnati (August 17-24) and the US Open (August 31-September 13). Also those of Madrid (September 13 to 19), Rome (September 20 to 26) and Roland Garros (September 27 to October 11). According to that return, women's activity would return on August 3 in Charleston and Palermo. The rest would remain as it was before the pandemic, with the WTA Finals from November 8-15. The governing body of women's tennis keeps the players informed weekly.