Shoemaker: “Feliciano told me they are thinking about not playing”

Doubts continue regarding the celebration of the Mutua Madrid Open. The appearance of outbreaks and the increase in cases in the Community of Madrid could cause the cancellation of the tournament, which had already been rescheduled in the week of September 12 to 20.

The Deputy Minister of Public Health of the Community Antonio Zapatero went through the microphones of El Larguero de la Cadena SER to give his opinion on this fact and was also pessimistic about the celebration of the tournament. “I think that today there will be no Mutua Madrid Open. I have a good relationship with Feliciano López because of my connection with the world of tennis (He is vice president of the Madrid Tennis Federation) and at the end of June he asked us for an appointment at the Ministry to tell us that they had planned to celebrate the Mutua in the week of September 12 to 20. We thought it was excellent news and they presented us with what their security and sanitary measures project was like. “

Zapatero commented that, despite the initial illusion, Feliciano and the organizers held a meeting with the CSD in which doubts arose about the celebration of the tournament. “Feliciano told me that 15 days ago they had a meeting with the CSD, where they were discouraged and told to take into account the situation, that if a player, worker or spectator there were problems, that the tournament and Madrid could be harmed. Raises doubts and 'Feli' asks me to meet again last Wednesday and told me that they had thought that the tournament could not be done under these conditions. They had valued it and made cabbages about the possibility of celebrating it with and without spectators. I think after that conversation with the CSD they collected candles. “

The deputy counselor also revealed that in the conversation they had they also started talking about next year's edition. “They told me that the meeting with the CSD is not very favorable to the cause and in the last two weeks we have had an increase in cases of coronavirus in Madrid. Therefore, when they came to my office they told me that they were not going to go ahead with the championship. I felt sorry for myself as a tennis fan but I understood him perfectly. Feli told me that they had made that decision so as not to harm the city of Madrid and the tournament and quarantines could prevent many players from coming. In the last part of the conversation we had in my office we already started talking about the 2021 edition despite the fact that its initial protocol was excellent. “Zapatero believes that the cancellation of the tournament will be official in a matter of days.” They have to communicate it still to the ITF, ATP, WTA … but I think they will do it soon. “